Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Nigerian Armed Forces’ Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has described videos being circulated on social media over alleged soldiers’ brutality on civilians who violate the presidential shelter-in-place directive, as part of public measures to stop the spread of COVID-19, as the handwork of “false news propagators”.
The Coordinator Defence Media Operations, Major General John Enenche, who made this known also described the videos as misleading and a calculated attempt to rubbish the good work and professional integrity of the military. He said the videos are not in any way related to the current engagement of the Armed Forces of Nigeria in its COVID-19 operations and urged the public to disregard them.
Reporter on duty during the lock down beaten mercilessly by Nigerian Soldiers. 🙆😭🤦🏾🇳🇬 #Nigeria #COVIDー19 #CoronaVirusUpdates #coronavirus #Lockdownday2 #LockDownNigeria #lockdownlagos #CoronaVirusInNigeria #CoronaVirusGhana #army #Lagos pic.twitter.com/YLSiEiYO4h
— TRUSTEDBLOG1 (@trustedblog1) April 1, 2020
https://twitter.com/GGadgodwin031/status/1245582919059435521?s=20
Enenche said in a statement:
“The attention of the Defence Headquarters has been drawn to some video clips trending in the media.
“Consequently, the Armed Forces of Nigeria wishes to state that the videos were old clips of past incidents that took place in 2012 and 2013 respectively. The clips are being used by some mischievous elements to tarnish the image of the Armed Forces of Nigeria. Those videos are misleading, as they are not related to the present military engagement of the Armed Forces of Nigeria towards the lockdown on COVID-19. The Nigerian Armed Forces see those clips as calculated attempts to tarnish its professional integrity by some mischief-makers.
“Members of the public are hereby advised to disregard those videos. It is the handwork of false news propagators. The Armed Forces of Nigeria remains undaunted and would not be distracted.
“Furthermore, the Armed Forces of Nigeria is committed to performing its constitutional roles towards ensuring the protection of our territorial integrity and the lives and property of the general public.”