Nigerian Army dismisses reports of soldiers killed during the Ebonyi community crisis, describing the claims as false and misleading

The Nigerian Army has denied reports that soldiers were killed during the recent crisis in the Oso Edda community of Edda Local Government Area, Ebonyi State, describing the claims as false and misleading.

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The Cantonment Commander of Nkwagu Military Barracks, Lieutenant Colonel Emmanuel Chielo, made the clarification on Wednesday while briefing journalists in Abakaliki on ongoing security operations in the affected area.

Lieutenant Colonel Chielo said no soldier was killed and no military patrol vehicle was burnt, contrary to reports circulating on social media following violent attacks linked to the Amasiri clan.

“The reports are not true. None of my men have been killed,” Chielo said, explaining that the operation in the area was a joint security effort involving the police, the Department of State Services and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

He said troops came under attack on the first day of deployment but responded with restraint to avoid civilian casualties in the densely populated community.

“If we had acted out of anger or emotion, it would have been bloody. We acted professionally, and aside from the attack on us, no soldier was killed,” he added.

The Army commander also assured residents that security agencies were working to recover the severed heads of victims reportedly beheaded during the attack on Okporojo village, describing the act as deeply disturbing.

He said communal disputes, including conflicts over ancestral land and chieftaincy titles, remained major drivers of insecurity, despite Ebonyi State being among the most peaceful in the South East.

Chielo commended the Ebonyi State Government and the State Security Council for measures taken to restore calm, describing the intervention as firm but necessary to prevent reprisal attacks.

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He further warned about the growing proliferation of small arms, noting that illegal weapons trafficking posed a serious threat to internal security and required collective action beyond government efforts.