The Nigerian Army in Enugu has dismissed as false reports of an attack on its troops in Ehime Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State.

Online media reports had claimed that the attack led to the loss of many lives as gunmen who laid an ambush shot sporadically at the soldiers.

Reacting to the development in a statement on Thursday, Acting Deputy Director, 82 Division Army Public Relations, Enugu, Lieutenant Colonel Jonah Unuakhalu, stated that there was no truth in the report.

“The attention of 82 Division Nigerian Army has been drawn to the falsehood being peddled by some online media outlets claiming that an attack on troops of the Division deployed at Ehime Mbano Local Government Secretariat led to the death of several soldiers and civilians.

“The publication is a fiction playing out in the minds of the IPOB criminal elements and their sympathizers who want to dampen the confidence of Imolites and, by extension, the people of the South East region,” he said.

He recalled that similar to the incident on October 3, 2023, when the Local Government Headquarters of Isiala Mbano, built and maintained by public funds, was set ablaze and destroyed by some arsonists, a mindless attempt was also made at Ehime Mbano LGA of Imo State in the late hours of October 8, 2024.

“However, the gallant effort of the troops prevented the criminals from gaining entrance into the LGA Secretariat.

“The criminal elements, who came in their numbers shooting sporadically from a distance, had to beat a hasty retreat due to the overwhelming firepower of the vigilant and gallant troops. During the exploitation carried out in the early hours of today, it was confirmed that the dissidents suffered heavy casualties, as seen from the blood stains on Road Ehime Mbano-Oriagwu,” he added.

Unuakhalu advised the public to disregard the misinformation from the online publication, stating that troops will continue to protect citizens and critical government infrastructure in the state by dealing decisively with all criminal elements who aim to subvert the government.

“It is to be noted that the anti-people cowardly behaviour of the dissidents, burning public buildings built by taxpayers’ money where law-abiding citizens eke out a living, is most unfortunate. Apparently, the IPOB elements are not for the people but for themselves.

“HQ 82 Division enjoins all Imolites and, by extension, the residents of the South East to continue to provide security information that will allow security agencies to eliminate the criminal elements by calling our toll-free line 193 and pressing Option 2. The good citizens of the South East region are encouraged to go about their normal socio-economic activities without fear or intimidation from any group of persons,” he noted.