{"id":4963,"date":"2013-06-09T06:25:36","date_gmt":"2013-06-09T06:25:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/disnaija.com\/nigeria-news\/insurgents-foreign-media-out-to-discredit-nigerian-military-dhq\/"},"modified":"2013-06-09T06:25:36","modified_gmt":"2013-06-09T06:25:36","slug":"insurgents-foreign-media-out-to-discredit-nigerian-military-dhq","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/disnaija.com\/insurgents-foreign-media-out-to-discredit-nigerian-military-dhq\/","title":{"rendered":"Insurgents: Foreign media out to discredit Nigerian military \u2014 DHQ"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Defence Headquarters has raised alarm over attempts by foreign media to discredit the military, saying there is no iota of evidence in New York Times’ report that the Nigerian Military is \u201ckilling people without asking who they are.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Military also denied report that “Nigerian refugees are pouring into Niger Republic.\u201d<\/p>\n

In a reaction to the recent New York Times’ report titled, Killing People Without Asking Who they Are, the Military urged the public, particularly local media to ignore it, as it is part of the foreign media\u2019s futile attempt \u201cto demonize the ongoing operation in the Northeast, all with the intention of bringing to disrepute, the character and professionalism of the Nigerian Military and security agencies.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to a statement signed by Brigadier General Chris Olukolade, the Director of Defence Information, \u201cthe Defence Headquarters has noted<\/p>\n

the New York Times report dwelling on what it described as \u2018atrocities being committed by the Nigerian Military against innocent civilians\u2019, (which) sought to create in the minds of its readers an imaginary refugee situation in the area.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt quoted non-existent people, painted a picture of an Army that cannot distinguish between the enemy and unarmed civilians; an army that turns its guns against the same people it is out to protect.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is certainly not the Nigerian Armed Forces, and there is no killing of civilians in the ongoing operation as New York Times desperately sought to portray. Imbued with half-truths, unsubstantiated claims and outright misrepresentations in the report as in some others carried by their fellows in the certain media, New York Times strove in futility to demonize the ongoing operation in the Northeast, all with the intention of bringing to disrepute, the character and professionalism of the Nigerian military and security agencies.<\/p>\n

\u201cApart from the reference to its series of usually faceless sources, there is so far no reasonable evidence of the allegations so zealously presented by the New York Times. There is indeed no basis for such situation neither has there been any credible report from responsible quarters in Nigeria.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe claim that \u2018Nigerian refugees are pouring into Niger Republic\u2019 despite the unambiguous rebuttal by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and\u00a0 the Borno State government is another pointer to the deliberate misrepresentation of facts by New York Times and its allies in the social media. NEMA and the state government concerned have already addressed this issue in their separate statements on 28th May 2013.<\/p>\n

\u201cIndeed, if the foreign media, propelled by whatever ulterior motive, have resolved to whip up resentment against our institutions, it is certainly not incumbent on any of our local media organizations in Nigeria to offer its platform for the orchestration of such mischief.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the light of the foregoing, the Defence Headquarters acting in concert with the Ministry of Defence, wishes to alert Nigerians particularly our local media about this unfortunate tendency and trend in the foreign media. The need for Nigerian media to remain patriotic as they have demonstrated in their coverage of the operation so far is again reiterated.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Posted in Nigeria News. <\/a>A DisNaija.Com<\/a> network.<\/p>\n

Source: Huhu Online<\/p>\n

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