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The Nigerian Army has dismissed reports circulating online that troops were attacked at a council area secretariat in Imo State, resulting in the deaths of several soldiers and civilians.
Lt.-Col. Jonah Unuakhalu, Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, 82 Division, described these claims as baseless and fabricated by sympathizers of dissident groups.
Unuakhalu clarified that the alleged attack was actually a failed attempt by IPOB/ESN criminal elements to breach the Ehime Mbano council area secretariat on October 8, 2024.
He said however, the gallant efforts of the troops prevented the criminals from gaining entry, forcing them to retreat due to overwhelming firepower.
“The attention of the 82 Division Nigerian Army has been drawn to the falsehood being peddled by some online media outlets, claiming that an attack on troops of the Division deployed at Ehime Mbano Local Government Secretariat led to the deaths of several soldiers and civilians.
“The publication is a fiction playing out in the minds of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and their sympathizers, who wish to dampen the confidence of Imolites and, by extension, the people of the South-East region”.
He recalled that on Octber 3, 2023, the Local Government Headquarters of Isiala Mbano LGA, built and maintained with public funds, was set ablaze and destroyed by IPOB/ESN criminal elements, but there was no attack or casualty involving troops or civilians.
The spokesman noted that a similar mindless attempt was made at the Ehime Mbano council area secretariat in the State late last Wednesday, October 8, 2024.
However, he said that the gallant efforts of the troops prevented the criminals from gaining entry into the council area secretariat.
“The criminal elements, who arrived in large numbers and fired sporadically from a distance, were forced to beat a hasty retreat due to the overwhelming firepower of the vigilant and gallant troops.
“During the mop-up operation conducted early this morning, it was confirmed that the dissidents suffered heavy casualties, as evidenced by bloodstains along the Ehime Mbano-Oriagwu Road”.
He advised the general public to disregard the misinformation in the online publications, assuring that troops would continue to protect citizens and critical government infrastructures in the state by decisively dealing with criminal elements intent on subverting the government.
Unuakhalu further condemned the anti-people, cowardly behaviour of the dissidents in burning public buildings funded by taxpayers’ money and used by law-abiding citizens to make a living, calling it “most unfortunate.”
“Clearly, the IPOB elements are not for the people but for themselves,” he stated.
He concluded by urging all Imolites and residents of the South-East to continue providing security information that will help security agencies eliminate criminal elements. He encouraged them to call the Army’s toll-free line 193 and press Option 2 for assistance.
“The good citizens of the South-East region are encouraged to go about their normal socio-economic activities without fear or intimidation from any group,” Unuakhalu said.
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