The Nigerian Army has denied reports about “a soldier” who claimed that the abduction of the Dapchi schoolgirls was planned by the Federal Government.
In a statement on Sunday, the Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier General, Texas Chukwu, said the news is false and the supposed officer – Sergeant David Bako – behind the claim, is not part of the Army.
Furthermore, he described the report as ‘fictitious’ and asked the public to disregard it.
The statement read in part: “The attention of the Nigerian Army has been drawn to a news report making the rounds on Facebook and other social media to smear and drag the Nigerian Army into campaign of calumny by mischief makers, that one deserted Sergeant David Bako leaks how Dapchi Girls abduction was planned in the villa and executed with N80 million.
“The information was said to be provided by Sergeant David Bako who claimed to be a deserted soldier and one of the abductors of the Dapchi School Girls. The Nigerian Army, therefore, puts the record straight that it has crosschecked its records and could not find anyone called Sergeant David Bako who neither serves in the Army, deserted or dismissed.
“The Nigerian Army, therefore, dissociates itself with such fictitious report and requests the public to disregard the confession made by the so call Sergeant David Bako who has not been in the Army at all.
“It is imperative to know that these baseless and inane allegations are not new in the cyberspace, knowing the fact that we are in the age of information warfare.
“However, it is really worrisome to the level at which some people could condescend so low to fabricate fictitious allegation against the Nigerian Army and the military at large for cheap political gains or simply an act of pure wickedness, thus the public should disregard such facetious allegation.”
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The Army, therefore, reiterated its commitment to remaining apolitical and non-partisan in the discharge of its constitutional roles.
It also promised to ensure that the “fifth columnists” do not go unpunished.
