Why Nigerian Army Is Angry With SaharaReporters
Nigerian Army has acussed SaharaReporters of intentionally targeting it to kill the morale of soldiers and public support Nigerian army enjoys.
Problem began after Nigerian army said SaharaReporters has been publishing fake news about them.
For each publication, the Nigerian army had to put out a counter statement. There is no known issue the Army has with the news company.
SaharaReporters is a local online news with international audience. The online news is owned by Sowore, who contested for the Nigerian apex office in the last elections.
He has faced a couple of legal battles with the Nigerian Department of Security Services.
Sowere is a notable opposition, with his group ‘Revolution Now’ angling for a ballot revolution that would put him in power.
Recently, Nigerian Army has had to mark all publications relating to them ‘fake news’ decrying the unpatriotic reportage of the online news.
SaharaReporters has found itself in hot soup atimes. Initially, the online news company was accused of turning against Jonathan to help bring in Buhari’s government.
In the political arena, the news company was accused recently of standing against Peter Obi. The stance turned most Nigerians against Sowore.
A recent news report by SaharaReporters which said soldiers in Nigerian cantonment are suffering over action of their commander to cut off water was marked fake with a reply.
“The attention of Headquarters 7 Division Operation HADIN KAI located in Maimalari Military Cantonment has been drawn to a false and malicious publication, making the rounds on social media published by Sahara Reporters dated 12 June 2024. The publication had alleged that soldiers in Maimalari Military Cantonment were subjected to acute suffering due to the unavailability of electricity, water, and other social amenities in the Cantonment. The Headquarters 7 Division wishes to state in clear terms that the report is false and mere insinuation” the reaction from Nigerian army says.
Nigerian army said no water was cut off and neither was electricity. Saying that a project to add boreholes for the Cantonment is underway to “compliment pipe-borne water”
The army said SaharaReporters is on a campaign of calumny against it. And that SaharaReporters is deliberately targeting “Operations HADIN KAI to cause disaffection among our gallant troops ”
The army urged troops not to be distracted by the publications and remain loyal.
SaharaReporters doesn’t usually conventionally reply Nigerian army, instead, they take correctional measures to update news they confirm to be conflicting.
The statement partly reads
“3. The general public and our gallant troops are therefore advised to disregard the publication in its entirety as this publication is a campaign of calumny targeted at the leadership of Operations HADIN KAI to cause disaffection among our gallant troops who are giving their best towards the restoration of peace in the entire Theatre of operations.
4. Troops of Operations HADIN KAI are therefore urged not to allow themselves to be distracted by this ill-intended report but to remain disciplined, steadfast, and loyal as they carry out their responsibilities. Once again, we urge our gallant troops and the public to discountenance the falsehood being peddled in that uncanny report”
