ABUJA, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Authorities of the Nigerian the Defense Headquarters have denied a New York Times newspaper report that the military was killing innocent civilians in the attempt to flush out Boko Haram insurgents in the three state under emergency rule.
President Goodluck Jonathan had declared state of emergency in three north east states of Adamawa, Yobe and Borno following increasing waves of killing and attacks by suspected Boko Haram sect.
The three states share borders locally and have international borders with African countries Cameroon, Chad and Niger.
Borno is the home base of the Boko Haram sect.
Chris Olukolade, spokesperson for the defense headquarters, said in Abuja on Saturday that the New York Times report dwelt on atrocities being committed by the Nigerian military against innocent civilians, sought to create in the minds of its reader's an imaginary refugee situation in the area.
Olukolade added that the reported 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.
"This is certainly not the Nigerian Armed Forces, and there is no killing of civilians in the on-going operation as New York Times desperately sought to portray," he said in a statement.
"Imbued with half- truths, unsubstantiated claims and outright misrepresentations, the report, as in some others carried by their fellows in the certain media, strive in futility to demonize the ongoing operation in the North-East, all with the intention of bringing to disrepute, the character and professionalism of the Nigerian military and security agencies," he added.
"Apart 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," he said, noting that there is indeed no basis for such situation neither has there been any credible report from responsible quarters in Nigeria.
"The claim that 'Nigerian refugees are pouring into Niger Republic' despite the unambiguous rebuttal by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Borno State Government is another pointer to the deliberate misrepresentation of facts by New York Times and its allies in the social media," he added.
"Indeed, 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," he said.
"In the light of the foregoing, the Defense Headquarters acting in concert with the Ministry of Defense, wishes to alert Nigerians particularly our local media about this unfortunate tendency and trend in the foreign media," Olukolade added, noting that the need for Nigerian media to remain patriotic as they have demonstrated in their coverage of the operation so far is again reiterated please.
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