By Victor Akaa, Abuja.
The Nigerian Army has debunked the claims of trending on some section of the media of the Government plan to lockdown the country using the Nigerian army.
This was contained in a statement made available to Enugu Reporters by the Army’s Acting Director on Public Relations, Col. Sagir Musa .
According to him, the general public should disregard the narratives as it does not hold any water and misleading and could cause chaos and panicking
This is what the Army image maker Col. Sagir Musa said…..
“It has come to the notice of the Nigerian Army and the General public some misleading publications in a section of the media with the title “Federal Government to Enforce Military Lockdown on Friday.” The Nigerian Army wishes to dissociate itself from such false, speculative and vexatious publication designed by certain mischievous elements to create chaos, panic and disaffection in the society that could only serve the ulterior motives of its promoters.
“To put the record straight, the document being quoted was a proactive directive for the Nigerian Army to prepare for possible escalation of the COVID -19 based on the happenings around the world on the pandemic.
“The misinterpretation that Government is locking down the entire country and pulling out the Army by Friday 27 March 2020 is utterly false and baseless.
“The NA considers the publication and negative interpretation being given the content of the Classified document containing information meant for the Nigerian Army personnel as a violation of the Official Secret Act”. He explained.
Col. Sagir further pledged the resolve of the Nigerian Army never to be discouraged and be professional in their responsibilities of securing the nation.
“NA will continue to be professional, proactive and responsive in support of the Constitution, Democracy and Government of NIGERIA in line with its constitutional mandate of providing aid to civil authority when called upon to do so.
“The NA will leave no stone unturned to prepare to support the civil authority in times of emergencies of national magnitude. The mischief of some unpatriotic few will not dissuade the Nigerian Army from working with sister services, the Nigeria Police and other security agencies to keep NIGERIA Safe”. He said.
He therefore called on the general public to discountenance the publication going round that the Federal Government is locking down NIGERIA by Friday 27 March 2020 on the basis of the content of the directive to military formations to take proactive measures to prepare for possible call out to assist civil authority in the case of COVID-19 getting worse in the Country.
