Headquarters Operation Udo Ka (OPUK) and the 82 Division, Nigerian Army have invited media organisations, civil society groups and other independent observers to undertake a verification tour of the Orsu–Eketutu Mother Valley and Orsu–Ihiteukwa operational areas in Imo State, following what the military described as a coordinated propaganda campaign by IPOB sympathisers over recently published images of recovered improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
In a statement issued by the Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, Lt. Col. Olabisi Olalekan Ayeni, the military said it had noted viral social media posts disputing the authenticity of images released on 12 March 2026 alongside a Nigerian Army media update showing IEDs allegedly recovered during operations in the Orsu axis.
According to the Army, the recovered devices were obtained during the ongoing Operation Eastern Sanity, which is being conducted simultaneously in Imo and Anambra states.
Ayeni explained that the geolocation details on the published photographs were deliberately blurred for operational security reasons, insisting that the decision was standard military precaution and not an attempt to mislead the public.
“The devices in the images released were recovered during the ongoing operations EASTERN SANITY conducted simultaneously in Imo and Anambra states, as stated in the media releases on this operation. However, the geo-location on the pictures were blurred for operational security reasons and not for any ulterior motives,” the statement said.
The Army said troops had in recent weeks dislodged several camps, hideouts and IED-making factories allegedly linked to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN) in the Mother Valley general area spanning parts of Imo and Anambra.
It argued that the latest social media attacks were part of efforts by pro-IPOB actors to undermine military gains in the South-East and cast doubt on security operations.
The statement specifically accused certain social media users of manipulating metadata and geolocation details of the released images to falsely suggest that the recoveries were made in Lagos and Oyo states rather than in the South-East.
The Army also condemned what it described as attempts to inject ethnic sentiment into the controversy by focusing on the background of the spokesperson, rather than the substance of the operation.
Describing such narratives as divisive, the military said they were aimed at “poisoning the well” and weakening public trust in ongoing counter-insurgency and internal security operations in the region.
To address the controversy, OPUK said it was opening its doors to media executives, defence correspondents, civil society organisations and concerned citizens who wish to independently verify the authenticity of the recovered materials and the locations where the operations took place.
It said interested representatives could contact the Headquarters 82 Division Army Public Relations to arrange an inspection of the operational areas and view recovered IED-making materials in a controlled manner that would not endanger troops or compromise ongoing missions.
“The Nigerian Army is, and remains, an apolitical, professional and multi-ethnic institution. Personnel are deployed across the country irrespective of state of origin in service to the nation,” the statement added.
The Army further urged Nigerians, especially social media users, to verify claims through official channels before amplifying them, warning against the dangers of misinformation, ethnic profiling and propaganda in a sensitive security environment.
The military said original images from the operation area, the blurred versions posted on official Army platforms, and what it described as manipulated copies circulated by IPOB sympathisers had been made available for public scrutiny.
