Army calls reports of Boko Haram attacks on Maiduguri fake news

The Nigerian Army has dismissed social media reports that terrorists plan to carry out deadly attacks in Maidugiri, Borno State capital, and other neighboring areas.

The Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Ado Isa, said in a Thursday, September 19, 2019 statement that the reports are being fueled by some mischievous elements to create panic.

"Headquarters Theatre Command, Operation Lafiya Dole, assures the public that necessary measures have been put in place to checkmate the purported evil plans of the criminals.

"Accordingly, troops in the Theatre, have been committed to ensure movements and activities of the marauders are effectively thwarted," he said.

Colonel Isa said troops are in staging positions to "destroy the bandits", and urged members of the public to disregard the alleged attacks and stay vigilant.

Last week, the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, warned about the increased propaganda and undue publicity given to terrorist group, Boko Haram and its factions.

Since Boko Haram's insurgency escalated in 2009, the terrorist group has killed around 30,000 people and displaced millions in the northeast region, with its operations also extending to border countries like Cameroon, Chad and Niger.

Even though the powers of the Abubakar Shekau-led main faction of Boko Haram has been on the wane in the past couple of years, another faction, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), has grown in influence and carried out several brutal attacks.

However, despite ISWAP's attacks on military troops and bases over the past year, the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government has insisted that the group has been degraded, and limited to only attacking "soft targets".

Buratai warned last week that publicity given to the group by Nigerians has further boosted its image and could amount to supporting or encouraging terrorism.

He said the group is only a gang of criminals, murderers, bandits, rapists, kidnappers and armed robbers and should be referred to as such.

"Unfortunately, many Nigerians are not aware that giving prominence to the criminal activities of the terrorists group through sensational headlines and fake news in both electronic and print media could also amount to tacit support to terrorism which violates the Terrorism Prevention Act 2011," an Army statement read.

The Army urged Nigerians to support troops in their efforts to put an end to terrorism in the country.