The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has dismissed videos currently circulating in the social media of soldiers torturing civilians for violating the Presidential directive to stay at home over the Coronavirus pandemic as a calculated attempt to blackmail the Military.
It said that the videos are misleading and are not related to the present military engagement of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
According to a statement by the Coordinator Defence Media Operations, Major General John Enenche, “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”.
It added that “the Nigerian Armed Forces sees 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”.
