The Nigerian Army has accused the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its supporters of circulating ethnically motivated propaganda aimed at undermining military operations in Nigeria’s South-East region.
The allegation was contained in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja by Olabisi Ayeni, Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations for the 82 Division.
Ayeni was responding to claims circulating on social media that images of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) recently released by the military were fabricated.
According to him, the photographs were part of an earlier press briefing showing explosives recovered during a security operation known as Operation Eastern Sanity carried out simultaneously in Imo State and Anambra State.
He explained that the recovered devices were discovered in the Orsu–Eketutu Mother Valley and Orsu–Ihiteukwa areas of Imo during ongoing counter-insurgency efforts under Operation UDO KA.
Ayeni clarified that certain geolocation details on the images were intentionally blurred for security reasons to avoid exposing sensitive operational information.
However, he said IPOB sympathisers manipulated the blurred metadata and shared edited versions of the images online, falsely claiming they originated from Lagos and Oyo states.
The Army spokesperson stated that the misleading content was widely circulated on social media platforms such as X and Facebook by accounts linked to supporters of the separatist group.
He further alleged that some individuals shifted attention to the ethnic background of a serving military officer rather than focusing on the facts of the operation.
According to Ayeni, such narratives are designed to incite ethnic tensions, weaken military credibility and create divisions within the country.
He maintained that troops had successfully dismantled several camps, hideouts and IED-production facilities belonging to IPOB and its armed wing in the Mother Valley area spanning Imo and Anambra.
The Army also announced that the headquarters of Operation UDO KA has invited journalists, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to participate in a verification visit to the operational areas.
The proposed tour, he said, would allow independent observers to confirm the locations where the explosives were recovered and inspect seized IED-making materials without compromising security operations.
Ayeni emphasised that the Nigerian Army remains a professional and non-partisan institution made up of personnel from different ethnic backgrounds serving across the country.
He urged Nigerians and social media users to rely on verified information from official sources and avoid spreading unconfirmed reports capable of fuelling ethnic division.
