IPOB Attack on Hausas in Rivers: We are only on standby to prevent escalation, Army explains role

The Nigerian Army says it is not directly involved in ongoing operation to restore law and order in Oyibo Local Government Area of Rivers. A media report has said.

Col. Aminu Iliyasu, spokesman of the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, reportedly said this in a press interview on Thursday.

Iliyasu said the army only assisted the police on Tuesday following attacks on the Hausa community  by members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

According to him, troops have since been withdrawn to strategic locations while the police are now fully in control of the situation.

The Army’s explanation may have addressed the suggestion by human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), who asked President Muhammadu Buhari to direct withdrawal of soldiers from maintaining internal security the Southeast and allow the police to take over.

Falana gave the position, it was learned, not because he supported the atrocities of Nnamdi Kanu but for government approach at bringing him to book to toll the constitutional line as, according to him, “Nnamdi Kanu is not above the law.”

Speaking further, Col. Iliyasu said, “Some persons are just trying to stir up tension by insinuating that the army was involved in shootout with IPOB members in the early hours of Thursday.

“If any security agency had shootout with anyone; then it is definitely not the army that took part in the shootout.

“This is because the army has since withdrawn troops on Tuesday after normalcy was restored to enable the police to discharge their constitutional mandate.

“However, soldiers are currently on standby in case the situation escalates beyond what the police can handle. It is only in that situation that the army will intervene,” he said.

The spokesman said that no arrest was made by the army during its brief intervention following the IPOB attacks on the Hausa community in Oyigbo.

He said that relative calm had been restored with social and economic activities returning to the area.