(From Sumaila Ogbaje, NAN)
The Nigerian Army has called on members of the public to ignore a report by a coalition that it conducted secret trials and executed six soldiers of Igbo extraction.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a group which identified itself as a coalition of rights activists and scholars, on Tuesday made the allegation in a press statement.
The Nigerian Army made the call on its social media handle, tagged the allegation as false, fake news and malicious.
A senior military source, who pleaded for anonymity, dismissed the allegation, saying it was impossible for the Nigerian army to conduct secret trial of any soldier.
The officer said the army usually set up a general court-martial publicly to try erring soldiers or officers, adding that such court-martial must have a President and other members.
According to him the trials are conducted publicly and not in secret.
“There is no iota of truth whatsoever that six soldiers were tried secretly and executed by the Nigerian army on Jan. 25 as alleged.
“The promoters of that allegation are the enemies of Nigerian who are trying so hard to instigate tribal or ethnic crisis in the country,” he said.
Also, a Coalition of Youth Groups in Nigeria has dismissed the allegation of secret trial and execution of six soldiers of Igbo extraction against Nigerian Army by a certain coalition on Tuesday.
The youth which was superintended by the Emerging Leaders Forum of Nigeria (ELFON), stated this in a Communique issued at the end of the meeting of leaders of the youth coalition on Tuesday in Abuja.
The youth groups comprised of the Youth Assembly of Nigeria (YAN), Niger Delta Youth Council, Igbozurumee Youth Council, Arewa Youth Counci, Oo’dua Youth Vanguard, Nigerian Students Parliament (NSP), and 34 other Youth organizations.
The youth called on the Nigerian Army to consider legal action against the purveyor of the fake news to serve as deterrent to other hired mischievous propagandists who are all out for the highest bidders.
“Generally, from our independent investigation, there is no iota of truth. We challenge him to produce evidence as we believe the names he mentioned are fake.
“We will no longer tolerate any unpatriotic behavior borne out of mere quest for cheap and stupid popularity.
“We are poised to ensure that Nigeria remains one United indivisible country against all human machinations,” the group said.
