The Nigerian Army has debunked a report by Sahara Reporters alleging that its troops opened fire on protesting staff of Dangote Sugar Company at Gyawana district, Lafiya Lamurde LGA of Adamawa State.
In a statement by Major Haruna Mohammed Sani, Assistant Director Army Public Relations, the Army said no single protester was killed; rather that the soldiers who dispersed the protest fired teargas and warning shots into the air “as some of the non-violent means of crowd dispersal and to further prevent own troops from being lynched by the mob.”
The statement reads: “This headquarters wishes to inform the general public that on 15 July 2021 at about 2:00 pm, the Gyawana community staged a protest against the management of Dangote Sugar Company threatening to shut down the establishment and abduct foreign expatriates for sacking some staff of the company who are members of the host community.
“Efforts to calm the situation by the Nigerian Police and personnel of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps proved abortive as the irate youths, wielding cutlasses, machetes and other dangerous weapons, overpowered them.
“When a distress call was made to an Internal Security outfit in Adamawa State Nicknamed Operation Farauta, comprising soldiers and other para-military agencies, they swiftly mobilized and moved to reinforce the police and Civil Defence deployment at the location.
“In the process, tear gas as well as warning shots were fired as some of the non- violent means of crowd dispersal and to further prevent own troops from being lynched by the mob.”
It said the situation was subsequently brought under control without anyone getting killed. Rather, it said some soldiers sustained minor injuries from the stones thrown by the mob “but no single protester was killed.”
Major Sani said the Sahara Reporters’ story was “written in haste without observing the basic tenets of objectivity and balance in news story writing.”
It alleged that the story was also a calculated attempt to dent the image of the Nigerian Army.
“The Nigerian Army is a professional and disciplined institution that operates within the purview of the constitution and in line with Rules of Engagement and Code of Conduct which serve as guides to troops in all military engagements,” it added.
It advised members of the general public to disregard the “mischievous report” and support the Nigerian Army in its resolve to discharge its constitutional mandate of aiding the civil authority when called upon to safeguard lives and property of law-abiding citizens.
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