Killing of 150 kidnapped persons by terrorists in Sokoto fake news-DHQ
From Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ), yesterday,said that the two Mines Resistant Armored Personnel Carriers(MRAPS), displayed by terrorists in a viral video in Zamfara State, were actually demobilized by troops after they got stuck in the swamp during a fighting operation to ensure that terrorists didn’t make use of them.
Similarly, the DHQ, has described the video showing the mass killing of 150 persons recently kidnapped in Sokoto State over alleged inability to pay ransom for their freedom as fake news.
Director Defence Media Operations(DDMO), Major General Edward Buba, made this known in a statement issued in Abuja.
Buba, while noting that the resort to using viral videos by the terrorists to peddle disinformation, propaganda and fake news was aimed at causing fear among citizens.
The statement reads; “On August 29, 2024, at about 5. 00 pm, troops of OP HADARIN DAJI deployed at FOB Zurmi in Zurmi Local Government of Zamfara State, embarked on fighting patrol to dislodge terrorists gathering at Kwashabawa Village. The troops engaged the terrorist enroute the location.
“During the fight, while attempting to outflank the terrorist. Quantity 2 of troops MRAPs got bogged down due to the swampy terrain occassioned by the rain. While troops tried to extricate the MRAPs, the terrorists mass up knowing the challenge troops had encountered with the MRAPs.
“Subsequently, troops dismounted and demobilzed the MRAPs, when efforts to backload them were futile. The sad demobilization of the MRAPs by troops was to prevent it from being useful to the terrorist after abandonment. These situations further illustrate the effect of weather in changing conditions for ground operations.
“In a related development, the attention of DHQ has been drawn to a trending video propagated from the terrorist camp. The video depicted the killing of several civilians in a mass grave. It must be noted that, the incident never took place in Nigeria. Rather, it sadly took place in a nearby African country faced with terrorism.
“The terrorist in an act of desperation, tried to manipulate the situation to mislead gullible members of the public. The Armed Forces unequivocally states that, at no time were 150 persons abducted in Gobir (Sokoto State). The rumoured abduction was deliberately planted by the terrorists to undermine troops winning efforts and cover up terrorist weakness.
“On the whole, the public is urged to be circumspect of the antics of the terrorist to propagate misinformation, disinformation and fake news as part of their war propaganda effort. These situations are not uncommon in war.
“The dynamic and ever changing environment of war creates some of these experiences.
Nevertheless,troops retain operational flexibility to make adjustments in achieving the strategic objective of winning the war”.
