20th August, 2015
Nigeria Defence Headquarters has denied media reports which claim that over 150 people from Kukuwa-Gari village were shot dead by Boko Haram gunmen in Yobe State while many others fleeing from the gunmen drowned in Yobe River in the mid-afternoon yesterday.
Colonel Rabe Abubakar, Acting Director, Defence Information described the story as untrue and utterly scurrilous and misleading in a statement issued on Wednesday.
The Defence spokesperson however explained that the truth of the matter is the military got an intelligence report concerning a planned attack by Boko
Haram on Kukuwa-Gari village in Yobe State.
He added that following the tip-off, troops and civilian JTF laid ambush between Kukuwatashi and Kukuwa-Gari villages.
“The insurgents ran into them and a gun-battle ensued in which four Boko Haram members and one civilian JTF lost their lives,” he further explained.
Col. Rabe said at the end of the encounter, two AK 47 rifles and two motorcycles used by the Boko Haram terrorists were recovered.
“The Armed Forces therefore implore the media to always seek clarification of stories before going to press as most of these unsubstantiated reports tend to embolden or encourage the terrorists to believe they are invincible, thus instilling perpetual fear in the minds of the citizens, especially, those in the contested areas of the North East.
“The military is doing all within its power to protect lives and property of Nigerians in any part of the country and thus, solicits cooperation and understanding of the media to be partners in progress in this noble task,” Rabe concluded.