The 3 Division Nigerian Army has debunked the report of one Alex Giwa on 3 January 2025 who made several spurious claims including illegal detention and critical illness of a POS operator, Mr Nansak Selbar, noting that the narratives in the article are false and should be outrightly disregarded by the public.
The Army on Sunday said the report is false, adding that the suspect was arrested for facilitating kidnapping activities by receiving ransom money on behalf of kidnappers.
3 Division Acting Deputy Director Army Public Relations, Lt Col Aliyu Danja in a press statement said in the course of investigation, it was found that the suspect was also involved in other vices inimical to national security including sourcing for military uniforms, kits and accoutrements for bandits and other criminal elements.
He noted that this is in addition to defrauding unsuspecting members of the public under the guise of recruiting them into the Nigerian Army.
In view of his suspected involvement in activities related to terrorism, we relied upon the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act (TPPA) 2022 and approached a competent court through Motion Ex-Parte and obtained an Order allowing the military to detain him and continue with the investigation, after which he would be handed over to the relevant agency for further action.
It is rather disturbing that the counsel to the suspect who is reasonably expected to be familiar with the TPPA 2022 chose to malign the action of obtaining an Experte Motion obviously to set the public against established institutions.
Nothing can be further from the truth than the allegation that the suspect is in custody on the instruction of Major General Nansak Shagaya. It is imperative to point out that the suspect is not illegally detained but rather in custody in line with the provision of extant laws for investigations on activities inimical to national security. It is therefore shocking that the distasteful article is being circulated by mischief makers to stir up sentiments against security agencies and attract public sympathy.
We therefore warn crisis merchants and unscrupulous persons to desist from peddling false narratives against security agencies working tirelessly to flush out criminal elements from our society.
We urged members of the media, especially bloggers, to take their responsibilities seriously. In today's fast-paced digital age, the power to shape narratives is at their fingertips. However, with great power comes great responsibility.
Before posting stories or sharing information, they are implored to verify the facts from both parties involved. The proliferation of fake and misleading news can have dire consequences, leading to disaffection, confusion, panic, and further division between security agencies and the general public.
We want to assure the public that the 3 Division Nigerian Army remains committed to ensuring the safety and security of lives and property within our Area of Responsibility. We encourage the community to continue supporting our efforts by providing timely intelligence to combat criminal elements in our society effectively.