Nigerian Army has rejected claim by Amnesty International in a report released on Thursday that its officers embarked on mass killings of MASSOB/IPOB protesters by the military between August 2015 and August 2016.
The rights group, in a report released on Thursday said the military killed at least 150 Biafran separatists during the period.
But in a statement signed Colonel Sani Usman, its spokesperson, the Army said “insinuation that our troops perpetrated the killing of defenceless agitators,” is an outright attempt to tarnish its reputation and that of the other security forces for “inexplicable parochial reasons.”
The Army also strongly disagrees with claims in the Amnesty International report that protests and procession by the Biafra separatist groups have always been peaceful.
The Army said the groups had always attack non indigenes and security operatives during their protests and processions and it listed specific instances to back up its claims.
“The evidence of MASSOB/IPOB violent secessionist agitations is widely known across the national and international domains.
“Their modus operandi has continued to relish violence that threatens national security. Indeed between August 2015 and August 2016, the groups’ violent protests have manifested unimaginable atrocities to unhinge the reign of peace, security and stability in several parts of the South East Nigeria.
“A number of persons from the settler communities that hailed from other parts of the Country were selected for attack, killed and burnt.
“ Such reign of hate, terror and ethno-religious controversies that portend grave consequences for national security have been averted severally through the responsiveness of the Nigerian Army and members of the security agencies.
“These security agencies are always targeted for attack by the MASSOB/IPOB instruments of barbarism and cruelty. For instance, in the protests of 30 – 31 May 2016, more than 5 personnel of the Nigeria Police were killed, while several soldiers were wounded, Nigeria Police vehicles were burnt down same as several others of the Nigerian Army that were vandalized.
“The strategic Niger Bridge at Onitsha came under threat thus leading to disruption of socio-economic activities.
“In the aftermath of the encounter that ensued between security agencies and MASSOB/IPOB militants many of own troops sustained varying degrees of injury. In addition, the MASSOB/IPOB recurrent use of firearms, crude weapons as well as other cocktails such as acid and dynamites to cause mayhem remain a huge security threat across the Region.
“In these circumstances, the Nigerian Army under its constitutional mandates for Military Aid to Civil Authority (MACA) and Military Aid to Civil Powers (MACP) has continued to act responsively in synergy with other security agencies to de-escalate the series of MASSOB/IPOB violent protests.
The Army said in spite of this, the military and other security agencies always exercised maximum restraints despite the flurry of provocative and unjustifiable violence, which MASSOB/IPOB perpetrated.
“The adherence to Rules of Engagement by the military has been sacrosanct in all of these incidents.
“Therefore, it is rather unfortunate for the Amnesty International to allow itself to be lured into this cheap and unpopular venture that aims to discredit the undeniable professionalism as well as responsiveness of the Nigerian Army in the discharge of its constitutional roles,” the Army said.