By Enyichukwu Enemanna
The Nigerian Army says the allegation of mass killing by its troops in the South-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria is untrue, faulting claim by a self-acclaimed leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Simon Ekpa.
Heritage Times HT reports that tension had mounted following the killing of five soldiers in Obikabia junction in the Isialangwa area of Abia State by suspected members of IPOB and its arm unit Eastern Security Network, who were last week Thursday enforcing a sit-at-home order in observing what was tagged ‘Biafra Day’.
Leaders in the region have been engaging with top leadership of the military to forestall a possible reprisal attack on communities by soldiers after an incident in Okuama in Delta State, where communities were sacked and houses demolished after seventeen soldiers were killed.
The Director, Army Public Relations, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, in a statement on Wednesday said, contrary to Ekpa’s claims, which has gone viral on social media, the Nigerian Army has conducted a thorough investigation and found no evidence to support the allegations.
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General Nwachukwu added that the troops in the video footage being circulated are personnel of the Nigerian Navy, not the Army, and they were engaged in a routine test firing of a weapon system.
Ekpa had raised an alarm in a viral video, alleging that troops of the Nigerian Army are carrying out mass killing of innocent Igbos and dumping them in a river.
General Nwachukwu also clarified that the incident took place in the South-West zone, not the South East, and that there was no evidence of individuals being shot at or killed in the river.
The detained leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu has distanced himself from the soldiers’ killing in the zone.
