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Nigerian Army Replies Amnesty Int'l, Says IPOB Came With Firearms, Dynamites, Others
Nigerian Army Replies Amnesty Int'l, Says IPOB Came With Firearms, Dynamites, Others
The attention of the 82 Division, Nigerian Army has been drawn to a
planned release of report by Amnesty International on the recent violent
activities by IPOB and MASSOB on 31st May 2016 in which they were
alleging that the Nigerian Army planned the killing of the protesters.
This is not true but the usual calculated attempt to rubbish the
Security forces in particular and the Nigerian Army just to remain
relevant.
It should be noted that the Non-governmental organization has always
been of the habit of being the judge and jury in matters of our national
security without recourse to fairness, objectivity, all aimed at
rubbishing the Nigerian Army for reasons best known to them. This could
not be far from trying albeit unsuccessfully to be relevant and justify
funding.
For the avoidance of doubt, what transpired that fateful day was that
some elements of MASSOB/IPOB engaged in violent protests which led to
outright breakdown of law and order.
The pro-Biafra protesters who had chosen the day to mark the 50th
Anniversary of Biafra perpetrated a number of unimaginable atrocities to
unhinge the reign of peace, security and stability in several parts of
Anambra State.
A number of persons were selected for attack, killed and burnt. Two
personnel of the Nigeria Police were killed, several soldiers were
wounded, a Nigeria Police vehicle was completely burnt down while
another of the Nigerian Army was vandalized.
The strategic Niger Bridge at Onitsha was at the verge of being captured
particularly with the coordinated reinforcement of the violent
protesters from the Asaba end of the Bridge.
In addition, wanton destruction of lives and properties were brazenly
carried out by the protesters who employed firearms, crude weapons as
well as other volatile cocktails such as acid and dynamites. In
consequence, law, order and security were grossly threatened across the
State and beyond.
The Nigerian Army in synergy with other security agencies under its
constitutional mandates for Military Aid to Civil Authority (MACA) and
Military Aid to Civil Power (MACP) acted responsively in order to
de-escalate the deteriorating security situation.
Instructively, the military and other security agencies exercised
maximum restraints against the odds of provocative and inexplicable
violence that were employed against them by the pro-Biafra protesters.
The military and of course the other security agencies acted
professionally within the extant Rules of Engagement to successfully
de-escalate the budding anarchy.
It is rather inconceivable for any individual or group to have decided
to inundate the general public with an anecdote of unverified narratives
in order to discredit the Nigerian Army in the course of carrying out
its constitutional duties despite the premeditated and unprovoked
attacks in the hands of the violent pro-Biafra mob as Amnesty
International is determined to do.
Thank you for your usual cooperation.
COLONEL HAMZA GAMBO
Deputy Director Army Public Relations
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