The Nigerian Army has debunked stories in the social media alleging a top-level conspiracy that stage-managed the abduction of Dapchi schoolgirls on 19 February.
The Army in a statement on Sunday by its Director of Public Relations, Brigadier General Texas Chukwu, said there is no such soldier as David Bako in its records.
Recall that a report which made the rounds on social media over the weekend claimed that the abduction of the 110 schoolgirls from Government Girls Secondary School, Damaturu, Yobe state, on February 19, was planned by the President Muhammadu Buhari government.
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The report, which was allegedly leaked by one Sergeant David Bako who claimed to be deserted soldier, equally alleges that the Buhari government paid the team of soldiers N80 million to abduct the schoolgirls.
But reacting on Sunday, Chukwu advised Nigerians against to disregard the claim and desist from sharing such information on social media as it is against the Nigerian Cybercrime Act 2015.
The statement reads: “The attention of the Nigerian Army has been drawn to a news report making round on Facebook and other social media to smear and drag the Nigerian Army into politics of calumny by mischief makers, that one deserted Sergeant David Bako leaks how Dapchi Girls abduction was planned in the villa and executed with N80 million. The information was said to be provided by Sergeant David Bako who claimed to be deserted soldier and one of the abductee of the Dapchi School Girls.
“The Nigerian Army therefore put the record straight that it has crosscheck it records and cannot find any one call Sergeant David Bako who neither serves in the Army, deserted or dismissed. The Nigerian Army therefore disassociate itself with such fictitious report and request the public to disregard the confession made by the so call Sergeant David Bako who has not been in the Army at all.
“It is imperative to know that these baseless and inane allegations are not new in the cyber space, knowing the fact that we are in the age of information warfare. Open Source Intelligence reveals that the website Dailyglobewatch.eu with country code top-level domain (ccTLD) .eu used in publishing stories is obviously fake and therefore not correct. Based on our findings the website was registered on the 14 of April 2017 and the last updated was on the same date and will expire on the 14th April 2018, we are very familiar with reports of this nature and will advice the general public to disregard such claim and desist from sharing such information on the New Media as this is against the Nigerian Cybercrime Act 2015.
“However, it is really worrisome to the level at which some people could condescend so low to fabricate facetious allegation against the Nigerian Army and the military at large for cheap political gains or simply an act of pure wickedness, thus the public should disregard such facetious allegation.
“The Nigerian Army wishes to reiterate its commitment to remain apolitical and non-partisan in the discharge of its constitutional roles. We would also like to reaffirm our unconditional support and obedience to civil authority as well as reassuring Nigerians that these Fifth columnists will not succeed in their mischief as they will be fished out and dealt with accordingly.
“You are please requested to disseminate this information to the general public through your reputable medium.”