Army Debunks Planned Boko Haram Attacks in FCT, Seven States

• Say letter in circulation is fake

Senator Iroegbu in Abuja

The Nigerian Army has debunked the circular warning of imminent Boko Haram attacks on various locations in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and seven other states in the country.

The Director of Army Public Relations (DAPR), Col. Sani Usman, in response to enquiries, called on members of the public to disregard the circular said to have emanated from the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) office.

The circular dated August 5, 2016 and titled: ‘Plans By Boko Haram Terrorists Group to Attack In FCT and Other Parts of the Country, was allegedly signed by one Colonel A. Suleiman on behalf of the army chief, warned that terrorists “intend to target police stations and formations in Abuja, Kano and Imo States.”

Part of the circular read: “Information at the disposal of this headquarters strongly point to plans by Boko Haram terrorists group to attack various locations in the country. The targeted areas include but not limited to police stations, prison facilities, schools and market places.
“Similarly, schools that are being re-opened in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States are also at risks, in the light of the wide ranging plot by the group to cause large-scale destruction.

“In view of the above, I am directed to inform you of this imminent threat and respectfully request that you take all necessary proactive measure to prevent Boko Haram terrorists from carrying out these heinous acts.

But Usman has branded the letter as “completely fake and must be treated as what it is.”
“There is no iota of truth in that letter and I want members of the public and particularly the media to disregard this letter, which content must be within the imagination of some mischievous elements,” he said.

“I don’t know why some media platforms will be in a hurry to carry such purported circular without proper confirmation. The bottomline is that what has been circulating on social media did not emanate from the Nigerian Army or COAS office it’s fake.”

This rumoured circular is however, coming amid rising tensions within the terror group over leadership disputes orchestrated by reported imposition of the former spokesperson, Abu Musab al-Barnawi, as Boko Haram’s new leader,with Abubakar Shekau insisting that he is still the leader of the militant group.

Recently, both al-Barnawi and Shekau has promised to unleash unimaginable terror in the country, which the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has dismissed as a “mere rhetoric to stay afloat”.
Earlier, the United States Department of State has also issued security alert and travel warning to a number of states in the country including the ones allegedly being targeted by Boko Haram in the purported circular.