Army accuses IPOB of ethnicity-driven propaganda over IED images

The Nigerian Army has accused the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its sympathisers of spreading ethnicity-driven propaganda to discredit military operations in the South-East.

The Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 82 Division, Lt.-Col. Olabisi Ayeni, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday while reacting to viral claims that recovered IED images were fake.

Ayeni said the images, published on Thursday with a press release, showed improvised explosive devices recovered during Operation Eastern Sanity conducted simultaneously in Imo and Anambra.

He explained that the explosives were recovered from the Orsu–Eketutu Mother Valley and Orsu–Ihiteukwa areas of Imo during ongoing operations under Operation UDO KA.

Ayeni said geo-location details on the images were deliberately blurred for operational security, stressing that the measure was not intended to mislead the public.

“The devices in the images were recovered during the ongoing operations in the operational areas as earlier stated.

“Unfortunately, IPOB sympathisers manipulated the blurred metadata and circulated altered versions online, falsely suggesting the images originated from Lagos and Oyo states,” Ayeni explained.

He said the propaganda was spread mainly on social media platforms, particularly X, formerly Twitter, and Facebook, by accounts linked to IPOB sympathisers.

Ayeni added that beyond manipulating metadata, the group had highlighted the ethnic identity of a serving officer instead of addressing facts surrounding the operation.

According to him, the focus on ethnicity reflects attempts to sow division, undermine military operations and weaken national cohesion.

“It is not a gainsaying that troops have dislodged several camps, hideouts and IED-making factories belonging to IPOB and its armed wing.

“The camps were located within the Mother Valley general area spanning Imo and Anambra.

“Having lost operational assets and capacity to terrorise residents, they have now resorted to propaganda, fake news and divisive narratives,” he said.

Ayeni said Headquarters of Operation UDO KA had invited media organisations, civil society groups and other stakeholders for a verification tour of the operational areas.

He said the inspection would enable independent observers to verify recovery locations and view seized IED-making materials without compromising operational security.

“The Nigerian Army remains a professional, apolitical and multi-ethnic institution whose personnel serve across the country irrespective of their state of origin,” he said.

Ayeni urged Nigerians and social media users to verify information from official sources before sharing and to prioritise national unity over ethnic sentiments.