Nigerian Military Clarifies Viral Terrorist Video and Addresses Destroyed MRAPs Incident

Emmanuel Daudu

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) of Nigeria has provided clarifications on two recent incidents involving the military’s operations in Zamfara State and a misleading terrorist video circulating on social media.

On August 29, 2024, around 5:00 pm, troops of Operation Hadarin Daji, deployed at Forward Operating Base (FOB) Zurmi in Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara State, conducted a fighting patrol to disrupt terrorist activities in Kwashabawa Village.

While en route to the village, troops engaged with the terrorists.

During the engagement, two of the troops’ Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles became immobilized due to the swampy terrain caused by heavy rainfall. Despite attempts to recover the MRAPs, the troops were forced to dismount and demobilize the vehicles to prevent them from being captured and utilized by the terrorists.

This action highlights the challenges posed by weather conditions on ground operations.

The DHQ addressed a viral video released by a terrorist group, which falsely claims to show the mass killing of civilians in a mass grave. The DHQ clarified that the incident depicted in the video did not occur in Nigeria, but in a neighboring African country that is also battling terrorism. The military emphasized that the video is part of a propaganda effort by the terrorists to mislead the public and distract from their setbacks.

The DHQ also refuted rumors of the abduction of 150 people in Gobir, Sokoto State, categorically stating that the supposed abduction is a fabricated story aimed at undermining the successes of the Nigerian military and masking the terrorists’ weaknesses.

Major General Edward Buba, Director of Defence Media Operations, urged the public to remain vigilant against misinformation, disinformation, and fake news propagated by terrorists as part of their psychological warfare tactics.

He emphasized that while the dynamic nature of war presents unpredictable challenges, Nigerian troops maintain the flexibility to adapt and remain committed to achieving the strategic objective of winning the war.