NIGERIAN ARMY WILL NO LONGER TOLERATE CHEAP BLACKMAIL FROM CRIMINALS
The attention of 6 Division Nigerian Army has been
drawn to a baseless and unsubstantiated allegation by
one Mr. Emma Powerful who claims to be the Media
and Publicity Secretary of a criminal gang that goes by
appellation "Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB)" in
which he claimed through the media that 11 of its
members were killed by soldiers on 20th January 2017
in Port Harcourt while conducting a solidarity rally to
commemorate the election of Mr. Donald Trump as
President of the United States of America.
The allegation is false, malicious and existed in the
figment of his imagination. We therefore wish to warn
Mr. Emma Powerful and other like minded mischief
makers that the Nigerian Army will no longer tolerate
such spurious and unfounded allegations that are
injurious to the hard-earned image and reputation of the
Nigerian Army, its selfless and dedicated officers and
soldiers by any group of criminals regardless of their
appellation.
It would be recalled that on 20th January 2017,
members of the group were mobilized from Abia,
Anambra, Enugu, Imo and Cross River States for an
alleged rally with dubious intent of molesting innocent
citizens, intimidating passers-by and wrecking havoc on
commuters thereby disturbing public peace, safety and
security.
The choice of Port Harcourt (the Garden City) as the
epicentre of the protest has left much to be desired. It
is however worthy to restate that one of the
constitutional responsibilities of the Nigerian Army is to
come to the aid of the civil authority whenever the need
arises. In line with this constitutional mandate, troops
of 29 Battalion Nigerian Army, were deployed in
conjunction with other sister security agencies to
prevent any loss of life or property with strict adherence
to the established Rules of Engagement.
Despite all provocative attempts occasioned by the
stoning of security agents and the smashing of
commuters' windscreens by the violent protesters,
troops refused to be cajoled into the criminal gang's
trap to fire a single shot.
This is indicative of the troops' total compliance with
their Rules of Engagement. The violent protest was
subsequently subdued with the use of tear gas and
arrests were made by a sister security agency with no
casualty recorded on either side.
It is however worrisome and disturbing for anyone to
falsely accuse troops deployed in support of civil
authority who conducted their duty professionally under
the beaming lenses of cameras of allegedly killing 11
citizens of our great country.
A well observed trend of this criminal gang is the
malicious posting of old videos and pictures from their
archives on social media platforms which has no
bearing on their claims to attract public sympathy and
whip sentiments among the citizenry.
To this end, Headquarters 6 Division Nigerian Army,
Port Harcourt, wishes to inform the public that the
allegation is not true and should be dismissed as mere
propaganda by the separatist group.
We wish to restate our total commitment to the
protection of lives and properties within the Division's
Area of Responsibility.
We therefore solicit the cooperation and understanding
of all peace loving citizens and further enjoin them to
join hands to help eradicating all forms of criminality
within Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom and Delta States.
This will no doubt enhance mutual co-existence, peace
and socio-economic development of the region.
You are kindly requested to disseminate this
information to the general public.
Thank you.
AMINU ILIYASU
Colonel
Deputy Director
Army Public Relations
drawn to a baseless and unsubstantiated allegation by
one Mr. Emma Powerful who claims to be the Media
and Publicity Secretary of a criminal gang that goes by
appellation "Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB)" in
which he claimed through the media that 11 of its
members were killed by soldiers on 20th January 2017
in Port Harcourt while conducting a solidarity rally to
commemorate the election of Mr. Donald Trump as
President of the United States of America.
The allegation is false, malicious and existed in the
figment of his imagination. We therefore wish to warn
Mr. Emma Powerful and other like minded mischief
makers that the Nigerian Army will no longer tolerate
such spurious and unfounded allegations that are
injurious to the hard-earned image and reputation of the
Nigerian Army, its selfless and dedicated officers and
soldiers by any group of criminals regardless of their
appellation.
It would be recalled that on 20th January 2017,
members of the group were mobilized from Abia,
Anambra, Enugu, Imo and Cross River States for an
alleged rally with dubious intent of molesting innocent
citizens, intimidating passers-by and wrecking havoc on
commuters thereby disturbing public peace, safety and
security.
The choice of Port Harcourt (the Garden City) as the
epicentre of the protest has left much to be desired. It
is however worthy to restate that one of the
constitutional responsibilities of the Nigerian Army is to
come to the aid of the civil authority whenever the need
arises. In line with this constitutional mandate, troops
of 29 Battalion Nigerian Army, were deployed in
conjunction with other sister security agencies to
prevent any loss of life or property with strict adherence
to the established Rules of Engagement.
Despite all provocative attempts occasioned by the
stoning of security agents and the smashing of
commuters' windscreens by the violent protesters,
troops refused to be cajoled into the criminal gang's
trap to fire a single shot.
This is indicative of the troops' total compliance with
their Rules of Engagement. The violent protest was
subsequently subdued with the use of tear gas and
arrests were made by a sister security agency with no
casualty recorded on either side.
It is however worrisome and disturbing for anyone to
falsely accuse troops deployed in support of civil
authority who conducted their duty professionally under
the beaming lenses of cameras of allegedly killing 11
citizens of our great country.
A well observed trend of this criminal gang is the
malicious posting of old videos and pictures from their
archives on social media platforms which has no
bearing on their claims to attract public sympathy and
whip sentiments among the citizenry.
To this end, Headquarters 6 Division Nigerian Army,
Port Harcourt, wishes to inform the public that the
allegation is not true and should be dismissed as mere
propaganda by the separatist group.
We wish to restate our total commitment to the
protection of lives and properties within the Division's
Area of Responsibility.
We therefore solicit the cooperation and understanding
of all peace loving citizens and further enjoin them to
join hands to help eradicating all forms of criminality
within Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom and Delta States.
This will no doubt enhance mutual co-existence, peace
and socio-economic development of the region.
You are kindly requested to disseminate this
information to the general public.
Thank you.
AMINU ILIYASU
Colonel
Deputy Director
Army Public Relations
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