Nigerian Army accuses IPOB sympathisers of spreading misinformation online, dismisses claims questioning IED recoveries during South-East operations

The Nigerian Army has accused individuals sympathetic to the Indigenous People of Biafra of orchestrating a social media campaign aimed at undermining recent military operations in the South-East.

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The allegation was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by Lt. Col. Olabisi Ayeni, Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations at the Headquarters of Operation Udo Ka (OPUK) and the 82 Division.

According to the Army, online posts disputing images of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) recovered by troops were part of a coordinated effort to cast doubt on ongoing security operations in the region.

The military said some posts sought to stir ethnic tensions by highlighting the background of the Army spokesperson, rather than focusing on operational successes.

The controversy followed the release of images on 12 March 2026, showing IEDs allegedly recovered during Operation Eastern Sanity, an offensive targeting insurgent camps in the Orsu axis of Imo State and Anambra State.

Some social media users questioned the authenticity of the photographs, claiming they originated from Lagos and Oyo states rather than the South-East.

The Army dismissed these claims, explaining that geolocation details were intentionally blurred as a routine operational security measure.

Troops, the statement noted, have dismantled several camps, hideouts and IED-making facilities linked to IPOB and its militant wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), in the Orsu–Eketutu “Mother Valley” area.

“The devices in the images released were recovered during the ongoing Operation Eastern Sanity conducted simultaneously in Imo and Anambra states.

However, the geolocation on the pictures was blurred for operational security reasons and not for any ulterior motives,” the statement said.

The Army further alleged that some individuals sympathetic to IPOB manipulated metadata and geolocation markers to suggest the recoveries occurred outside the South-East.

The military described this as a deliberate attempt to manipulate public perception and inflame ethnic tensions.

To enhance transparency, the Army invited media organisations, civil society groups and independent observers to inspect the Orsu–Eketutu operational areas and view recovered IED-making materials in a controlled environment.

Interested parties were asked to liaise with the Army Public Relations Department at the Headquarters of the 82 Division.

Reaffirming its institutional character, the Army stressed that it remains a professional, apolitical, and multi-ethnic institution deployed across Nigeria irrespective of state of origin.

The military urged Nigerians to exercise caution when sharing unverified information online, warning that misinformation, ethnic profiling and propaganda could undermine security operations in sensitive areas.