Abuja — ...lIPoB faults govt's approval of military retaliation
The House of Representatives has asked security agencies in the country to carry out a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances leading to the murder of soldiers by yet-to-be-identified gunmen.
Adopting a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Abubakar Yalleman, the House asked its committees on Defence to interface with the Armed Forces to ensure a comprehensive investigation to fish out those responsible for the act.
Yalleman lamented the needless and gruesome murder of the military personnel who were on peace missions, adding that the act has become a recurring decimal across the country.
Yalleman spoke as the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPoB, yesterday, faulted President Bola Tinubu's alleged order for the military to retaliate against the killing of soldiers in Abia State.
According to him, this act of attacking and killing military personnel is often carried out through surprise attacks on military formations including checkpoints and even those on routine patrols.
He said the military personnel were on a peace mission in their service to their fatherland and ensuring the security of lives and property in that area.
He added that the form of attack and killing of military personnel by gunmen in the South East and other parts of Nigeria has the potential to dampen the morale of our armed forces, endangering the lives and property of Nigerians and affecting the insecurity war which has so far recorded some successes.
He said this could also lead to a retaliatory attack by the military and cause huge collateral damage to the people.
In his contribution, chairman of the House Committee on Defence, Babajimi Benson said the attacks on military and security formations are provocative to the Armed Forces, describing them as one of the most priced assets that sacrificed so much in defence of the country.
He, however, commended President Bola Tinubu for his quick intervention in demanding that those responsible be fished out and brought to justice.
While appreciating the proactive action of the Deputy Speaker in dousing tension and setting up a fund for the families of the affected soldiers, the Chairman of the House Committee on Navy, Yusuf Gagdi expressed concern that while the House was advocating measures to end insecurity in the country, those who put their lives on the line to serve the country are being killed by non-state actors.
IPoB faults govt's approval of military retaliation
IPoB in a statement by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, described the statement as a reckless statement that should not come from a man occupying the seat of the president.
The pro-Biafra group, however, stated that it had no hands in the killing of the soldiers, saying the attack of the soldiers was sponsored to blackmail IPoB, on a day it was celebrating its heroes and heroines.
The Biafra agitating group wondered how it would be involved in the killing of soldiers on a day it was remembering and celebrating its fallen heroes and heroines such that engaging in such killing rubs counter to its non-violent stance and a contradiction to the celebration.
It said for the President to make such a statement showed that he had not removed the toga of party politics months after occupying the seat of the President and after celebrating one year in office.
IPoB's statement read: "The noble family and movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPoB, ably led by our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Okwu Kanu, condemns the order from the Nigerian President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the Nigeria soldiers to kill IPoB members and Biafrans in retaliation to the slain soldiers in Aba, Abia State.
"Through such a reckless order, the Nigerian president has approved another genocide against Ndigbo. Once again, we publicly declare that IPoB is not responsible for the attack and the killing of the soldiers in Aba.
"We have equally condemned the barbaric murder of the soldiers on the sacred day of Biafra Heroes Day celebration. The hasty manner in which the Nigerian government and its military pinned the killing of the soldiers on IPoB without any investigation shows that it was a premeditated plan to blackmail IPOB and Ndigbo.
"We, therefore, demand an open and independent investigation into the murder of the soldiers to fish out the real culprits."
Army dismisses allegations of mass killing in S-East
Meantime, the Nigerian Army has dismissed allegations by the IPoB that its troops are carrying out mass killings of the Igbo and dumping their bodies in the river, describing the claim as despicable falsehood.
Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, Director of Army Public Relations made this known in a statement in Abuja yesterday.
It read:, "The Nigerian Army has noted with dismay, a mischievous and systematic campaign of calumny by Simon Ekpa, a self-acclaimed leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra.
"The self-acclaimed leader through spurious and unfounded claims raised alarm on a viral video alleging that troops of NA are carrying mass killing of innocent Igbo and dumping them in a river.
"The report also contained some unimaginable and not well-couched falsehoods targeted at whipping up negative sentiments against troops and inciting anarchy in the South East region.
"Contrary to the falsehood being spread from the devious propaganda machinery leader, the NA wishes to state that it has conducted a comprehensive investigation on the allegations.
"Accordingly, we wish to refute these baseless claims by throwing light on the occurrence.
"In the first instance, the troops in the video footage are not personnel of the Nigerian Army as the insignia visible on their berets identifies them as personnel of the Nigerian Navy, who were engaged in a routine test firing of a weapon system mounted on a vehicle and to ensure the safety of other road users and commuters. The troops took precautionary measures by halting vehicular movement along the road until the test firing was safely concluded.
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"Observers were also kept at a safe distance, maintaining transparency and prioritizing the safety of all involved.
"Second, preliminary findings also indicate that the occurrence took place in the South-West region of the country and not the South-East as advertently portrayed.
"Furthermore, it was observed that there was no evidence to support the assertion that individuals were being shot at in the river, nor have there been any report from local communities regarding the discovery of corpses in the area.
"Consequently, the NA wishes to enjoin the public to disregard the unfounded claims and irredeemable falsehood being propagated by Simon Ekpa and his associates, whose apparent objective is to disseminate misinformation and incite unrest.
"The NA and indeed sister services and other security agencies remain steadfast in our commitment to maintaining peace and order, ensuring the safety and security of all citizens in the country. The Nigerian Army is vigilant and prepared to counter any attempt to destabilize the southeast region.
"We reaffirm our dedication to protecting the lives and livelihoods of all Nigerians and will continue to work tirelessly to uphold peace and order. We encourage the public to seek verified information and not be misled by those who aim to incite violence."
