On Wednesday, the Nigerian Army firmly dismissed allegations of mass killings by its troops in the South-East geopolitical zone, countering claims made by Simon Ekpa, a self-proclaimed leader of the banned Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, Director of Army Public Relations, addressed the issue in a statement. He refuted Ekpa’s viral social media claims, asserting that a thorough investigation by the Nigerian Army found no evidence to support the allegations. General Nwachukwu clarified that the troops featured in the viral footage were actually personnel of the Nigerian Navy, engaged in a routine test firing of a weapon system.
Ekpa had alleged in a widely circulated video that Nigerian Army troops were executing mass killings of innocent Igbos and disposing of their bodies in a river. However, General Nwachukwu specified that the incident in question occurred in the South-West zone, not the South-East, and there was no proof of any individuals being shot or killed in the river.
In a related incident, the Army reported last Thursday that five soldiers were brutally murdered in Abia State by non-state actors from IPOB’s armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN). These actors were reportedly enforcing a sit-at-home order across the South-East when the soldiers were killed.
Both Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, President of Ohaneze Ndi-Igbo, and Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of IPOB, have distanced themselves from the killings. The military has pledged to respond to this violent act accordingly.
The Nigerian Army’s statement aims to correct misinformation and reassure the public of its commitment to maintaining peace and security in the region.
