The Defence Headquarters has reacted to a report alleging a second mutiny at Maimalari Cantonment in Maiduguri.A statement from the DHQ Friday evening said “The online report titled ‘Second Mutiny in Maimalari Barracks as Soldiers Manhandled Commander’ is not true.”
Defence Spokesman,Major General Chris Olukolade said “What the online outlet garnished and dubbed as ‘mutiny’ was just a presentation of complaints by representatives of personnel families who wanted the ban on motorcycles as a means of public transportation in the barracks reversed.
According to Olukolade “Soldiers were not involved and there was no single shot fired by soldiers throughout the period as claimed in the report. That the ban was part of security measures put in place for the safety of the soldiers and their families. The Acting General Officer Commanding obliged their request and directed a suspension of the ban pending when the planned alternative transportation arrangement is put in place. He was not insulted or manhandled as reported.
He said further that, “The imputation of mutiny was concocted by the online medium ostensibly to raise false alarm and create the impression of disquiet in the military. It is very obvious that a section of the media is feasting on the current security challenges and is desperate to sustain the tempo of the crisis through sensational reportage. Mutiny is a very grievous breach that attracts severe sanctions in the military and should not be trivialized by those who do not understand its ramifications.”
The statement advised the general public to discountenance the rumours as no such incident took place. Also, the military advised the media to “beware of lifting stories on the military from online media as this has become the main channel of disseminating falsehood on happenings in the system.”
In another development, Olukolade said “cordon and search exercise has led to the discovery of Rocket Launcher production facility at Dorayi District in Kumbotso Local Government Area of Kano State.
“The discovery follows the arrest of a prominent member of the terrorists group. Locally made Anti-Aircraft Gun and Mortar accessories as well as Rocket Propelled Grenade tubes and Launcher along with accessories were recovered. Also seized were three AK47 rifles and hundreds of rounds of assorted ammunitions as well as drilling machines and other fabricating equipment”Olukolade said.
The military ,once again ,reminded the general public to report suspicious persons to security agencies in their localities to prevent unwholesome act by terrorists.
