Read the press statement below;
RE : SOLDIERS ALLEGEDLY KILL 35 YEAR WOMAN IN PLATEAU
The attention of Headquarters 3 Division has been drawn to a story entitled, ” Soldiers allegedly kill 35 year woman in Plateau” in both on line and traditional media. The report stated inter alia that, “A 35 years woman, Sarah Edward Nyam, was allegedly shot dead in Fwapwa Doi village of Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State on Friday night by men of the Nigerian Army”. This Headquarters wish to state categorically that the report was a deliberate falsehood and an attempt to portray the Division in bad light.
I wish to state that contrary to the report the soldiers were in the Dura -Du district and its environs from Monday 15 October – Wednesday 17 October 2018 to provide security to the sniffer dogs deployed to assist in locating the where about of the missing retired senior officer, Major General Idris Alkali (retired) and not on Friday 19 October 2018 as reported by online and traditional media.
Please be informed that on completion of the mission, the troops and sniffer dogs returned to the barracks on Wednesday 17 October 2018. The troops did not engage anyone in fire fight because the entire district has been deserted. No soldier fired any shot. All the ammunitions were duly accounted for by the troops.
The write-up further insinuated that soldiers, “stop people from accessing their homes, bungle their shops, eating our chickens and goats, ransack our homes”. This is not also true. This Headquarters had earlier warned residents who fled their homes and business premises to go back and continue their legitimate activities to avoid their respective homes and business premises from being broken into by miscreants/ hoodlums.
The reading public is hereby advised to disregard the news story as it is the antics of the fifth columnists to prevent the Division from locating the where about of the missing retired senior officer. This Division will leave no stone unturned in order to locate the where about of the missing retired senior officer despite the antics of the fifth columnists.
Consequently, this Division wish to warn online and traditional media as well as agents of fake news and other like minded mischief makers that 3 Division will no longer tolerate publication of fake news that are injurious to the hard earned image and reputation of the Division in particular and the Nigerian Army in general.
In view of the above, you are please requested to publish this rejoinder in order to correct the erroneous impression your publication has created in the minds of the good and peace loving Nigerians. Thanks for your usual co-operation.
KAYODE OGUNSANYA
Colonel
Deputy Director
Army Public Relations