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The Directorate of Army Public Relations is not unaware
of all manner of video clips, both real and manipulated, which have been
springing up in the social media purportedly depicting one scene or the other
involving personnel of the Nigerian Army.
One of such videos was the one said to have been shot in
Edo State in which soldiers were alleged to have blocked the Benin -Agbor
Expressway demanding illegal toll of N1000 from each luxurious bus that ply the
road.
In the said video clip, it was also alleged that
pandemonium ensued following an allegation that transporters refused to pay the
illegal toll.
Having analyzed the video and made several confirmatory
enquiries, the Directorate wishes to state that the video and message conveyed
in it, just like a number of such social media hysteria-inducing manipulations,
was a deliberate orchestration of falsehood and gross misrepresentation of
facts produced and circulated to deliberately smear the image of the Nigerian
Army.
From our checks, there was imposition of a state wide
curfew by the Edo State Government; sequel to the aftermath of the #End SARs
protest.
The order is yet to be reviewed due to the resurgence of
the COVID 19 pandemic in Edo State. Consequent upon this, motorists park a few
meters away from the check point mounted by soldiers and await the opening of
the road by 0500hrs daily.
Furthermore, the issue of the road closure has been a
long time problem with night time commercial drivers who insisted that the road
being a federal road is not under the jurisdiction of the government of Edo
State.
The isolated protest happened on 17 February 2021 at
about 2230hrs. This situation was brought under control professionally by
troops who were conscious of the rules of engagement and code of conduct for Internal
Security operations.
While the Nigerian Army recognizes the right of Nigerians
to hold and share opinions especially on the social media, it should not be
used to spread deliberate falsehood.
A situation where deliberate misrepresentation of facts
and fabrication of outright falsehood are being orchestrated in the social
media to tarnish the image and reputation of the military is not and should not
be acceptable.
The Directorate therefore wishes to reassure law abiding
public that the Nigerian Army remains a very professional force that respects
the fundamental human rights of the citizenry in line with global best
practices.
The Army will neither condone willful breach of law and
order nor tolerate indiscipline on the part of its personnel.
The general public is
therefore urged to discountenance the false information contained in that
video.
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