The Nigerian Army has firmly dismissed circulating reports claiming that bandits attacked its troops in Obanla, Kwara State, and made away with rifles and ammunition.
In a statement released on Sunday, Lieutenant Colonel Polycarp Okoye, Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, 2 Division, described the report as entirely false, misleading, and maliciously fabricated.
According to Okoye, the story alleging that soldiers were overrun and that six General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMGs) and over 30,000 rounds of ammunition were carted away is a deliberate attempt to misinform the public and demoralize gallant troops.
“At no time were any of our positions overrun, nor was any cache of weapons or ammunition lost to criminal elements,” Lt. Col. Okoye stated. “The publication is purely a fabrication intended to cause unnecessary panic and undermine the confidence of Nigerians in their armed forces.”
He further explained that troops from the 148 Battalion (Rear) have continued to record remarkable successes in ongoing clearance operations across Kogi and Kwara States.
In one of such recent operations, soldiers established a strong blocking position along the Kwara–Ekiti border, where they engaged and neutralized two armed bandits, recovering two brand-new AK-47 rifles.
The Army urged members of the public to disregard the false report and continue to support security agencies with credible information that would aid ongoing operations.
“The Nigerian Army remains resolute in its commitment to rid the nation of all forms of criminality,” Okoye affirmed. “We will sustain our operational momentum until every criminal network in Kogi, Kwara, and adjoining states is completely dismantled.”
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