The Nigerian Army says that reports that terrorists killed 17 soldiers, including a Brigade Commander, in a recent attack in Benisheikh, Borno State, are not true.
The Army also said that a lot of TV stations and social media sites are spreading false, misleading, and very exaggerated information about the event.
Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, the Media Information Officer for Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East) Operation HADIN KAI, said in a statement on Friday that two officers and two soldiers died in the incident.
He also denied that the Brigade Commander’s vehicle was broken down during the attack, saying that the Commander was driving a high-quality Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle that was temporarily stuck in the heat of battle while he was actively coordinating the counter-assault.
Uba warned against some popular videos and reports that he said have nothing to do with the recent failed terrorist attack on troops’ location in Benisheikh.
The statement reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to keeping the peace and told people to only trust official sources and not share information that hasn’t been verified.
The full statement says, “The Headquarters Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) has noted with serious concern the circulation of false, misleading, and highly exaggerated reports across some television stations and social media platforms following the recent foiled terrorist attack on troops’ location in Benisheikh.”
“These stories, which are often backed up by unrelated pictures and videos, are not only wrong, but they are also a deliberate attempt to change the facts, hurt ongoing military operations, and lower public trust.
“OPHK completely denies the claim that 17 soldiers, including a Brigade Commander, died in the incident. The official and confirmed report, which was sent out earlier by Defence Headquarters, clearly said that two officers and two soldiers died in the battle. Any other number that is being spread around is completely false, misleading, and not credible.
“The suggestion that the Brigade Commander’s car was not working is also wrong. The Commander was riding in a high-quality Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle that was temporarily stuck in place during the battle while he was in charge of the counter-assault. This is because of the high level of engagement and the presence of leadership at the critical moment, not because of any equipment failure. Also, the pictures and videos that are being shared about the incident have nothing to do with the Benisheikh attack. They are being used to support false stories. People are being told to ignore this kind of content because it is clearly meant to mislead and cause unnecessary panic.
“The Nigerian military strongly disapproves of the manipulation of operational facts and the exploitation of such incidents for personal or political gain or propaganda. These kinds of actions not only lie to the public, but they also take away from the sacrifices, bravery, and professionalism of the officers and men who risk their lives every day to protect the country. The Nigerian Armed Forces are still professional and only care about doing their job as set out in the Constitution.
“It is important to say again that the troops of Operation HADIN KAI successfully fought off the attack, kept control of their location, and forced the terrorists to retreat in a disorganized way. The failed attack shows that terrorist groups are still under a lot of pressure and that troops across the Theater are getting better at fighting. The military is still the only reliable source of verified information about its operations, and it will keep giving timely and accurate updates through official channels. So, people are told to trust these sources and not share information that hasn’t been checked.
