Reuters video on Borno killings, a conspiracy –Military

New Chief of Defence Staff, Vice Admiral Ola Ibrahim

Defence Headquarters has described as a conspiracy the video clip on Reuters showing soldiers killing civilians in Borno State.

The top management of Defence Information comprising the Director of Defence Information, Col. Mohammed Yerima; the Director of Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Kayode Koleosho; the Director of Air Force Information, Air Commodore Yususf Anas; and a representative of the Naval Director of Information, Commander Wabi Mohammed, debunked the allegation during a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday.

The Military high command also demanded an immediate apology from the international news agency, with a proviso that the apology be given the same level of prominence given to its earlier report.



Yerima, who briefed journalists on behalf of his colleagues, said the Armed Forces would be compelled to take further step if Reuters did not comply with the directive.

Yerima said investigation conducted by the Military High Command revealed that the controversial video was the same clip shown on Aljazeera on February 4, 2010 where it was alleged that Nigerian soldiers were killing civilians in Jos, Plateau State.

He stated that the Nigerian Army Directorate of Information issued a press statement denying the allegations aired on the Qatar-based international television, which was widely reported in the Nigerian media on February 8, 2012.

The military also alleged that a picture from the Reuters video was on the cover of the Amnesty International report which was released on November 8, 2012.