Lt. General Tukur Yusuf Buratai, Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff
The Nigerian Army says news going round especially on the social media that troops have invaded the home of Nnamdi Kanu and killed 3 persons are entirely false.
It said rather it was a group of suspected IPOB militants that blocked the road against troops of 145 Battalion while on show of force along FMC-Word Bank Road in Umuahia town, Abia State at about 6.00-6.30pm, on Sunday.
In a statement made available to Igbere TV late Sunday, Assistant Director Army Public Relations, Mr. Oyegoke Gbadamosi, said the suspected IPOB militants insisted that the military vehicles would not pass and started pelting the soldiers with stones and broken bottles to the point of injuring an innocent female passerby and a soldier, Corporal Kolawole Mathew.
Mr Gbadamosi, a major, further said troops fired warning shots in the air and the hoodlooms dispersed, but that no life was lost.
The statement read as follows:
The attention of 14 Brigade Nigerian Army, has been drawn to fictitious news going round especially on the social media that troops have invaded the home of Nnamdi Kanu and killed 3 persons.
This is far from the truth. Rather, it was a group of suspected IPOB militants that blocked the road against troops of 145 Battalion while on show of force along FMC-Word Bank Road in Umuahia town, Abia State at about 6.00-6.30pm, today. They insisted that the military vehicles would not pass and started pelting the soldiers with stones and broken bottles to the point of injuring an innocent female passerby and a soldier, Corporal Kolawole Mathew.
A female passerby injured in the attack
The troops fired warning shots in the air and the hoodlooms dispersed. No life was lost.
Therefore the public are kindly enjoined to disregard the rumours going round and the fictitious photographs of purported victims of attack. Both the soldier and the innocent female passerby have been evacuated to the unit’s Medical Inspection Room and are receiving treatment.
We would like to use this opportunity to warn mischief makers threatening the peace and security of the country through falsehood such as above.
Members of the public are please requested to go about their lawful business and report any suspicious activity to the nearest police station or security outfit.
Thank you for your kind cooperation.
Major Oyegoke Gbadamosi
Assistant Director Army Public Relations
14 Brigade Nigerian Army
