The Nigerian Army yesterday denied claims that it was using obsolete weapons to fight Boko Haram terrorists in the Northeast, asserting that such claims were part of the ongoing propaganda campaigns against the military.
It said it would keep fighting the insurgents until the battle is won, irrespective of challenges.
The response was contained on its social media pages to counter series of videos in circulation alleging that soldiers were bitterly complaining in respect of their welfare and equipment handed to them to fight the insurgents.
“Boko Haram terrorists are not better equipped than the Nigerian Army. Nigerian Army is the pride of the nation,” the Army said.
In a recent video following the Metele attacks, a soldier lamented: “Many of our men have died. We have to go home. If Nigeria is ready, they can call us back to fight those idiots (terrorists).
“But we do not have adequate weapons to fight them. We are going home to be with our families. Weapons make a soldier. Without weapons, you are not a soldier.”
But, the Army maintained that such claims are untrue, insisting that its men were given superior weapons to fight the terrorists.
“Fake news, false publication, hate speech and terrorist propaganda cannot deter our resolve from protecting our nation. No retreat, no surrender. Victory is sure,” it asserted
Army spokesman Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman has, however, warned the public against fallen into the trap of one Dr. Perry Brimah, who claimed to be raising funds for the welfare of troops in the war fronts.
He described the claim as fraudulent and had nothing to do with the Nigerian Army.
Brig.-Gen. Usman, who advised Nigerians to ignore Brimah, said in a statement: “The attention of the Nigerian Army has been drawn to a fraudulent and criminal fund-raising by one Dr. Perry Brimah, a Nigerian in diaspora, tagged: ‘Global campaign to provide food for Nigerian soldiers fighting Boko Haram’.
“The criminal embarked on this fund-raising venture ostensibly to defraud unsuspecting members of the public, especially the international community to fund subversive activities and personal life style. The criminal is using the following contact points for the fund-raising: https://www.gofundme.com/ feed-nigerian-soldiers/
info @ ENDS.ng. Tel: +1-929-427-5305; WhatsApp: +234-903-420-3031.
“We wish to state that the Nigerian soldiers deployed in the Northeast or elsewhere, neither lack logistics nor food as the fraudster wants unsuspecting members of the public to believe. The Nigerian Army never faltered in providing necessary logistics to troops to the extent of providing extras, especially during festive periods.
“Therefore, this move by Dr. Brimah is nothing but a scam as there is nowhere in the world where troops were fed through donations by members of the public.
“We would like to further state that there has never been complaints of lack of food by soldiers, talk-less of starvation. The so-called Dr. Perry Brimah or his agents do not represent the Nigerian Army or her soldiers.
“Whoever believes and falls victim to this criminal act does so at his or her own risk. In addition, the Nigerian Army in conjunction with the INTERPOL are working hard to declare him wanted and extradite the international fraudster to face justice. Therefore, we request the general public for any information on the whereabouts of this fraudster.”