“Stop Lying!” Nigerians Lashes Out As Army Claims Viral Video Of Soldiers Beating Man Is Fake

Nigerians using social media has disagreed with the Nigerian Army for suggesting that the viral video showing men in military camouflage beating up an undressed man is fake.

In the viral video, men suspected to be cadets from the Nigerian Defence Academy are seen slapping a man who is wearing only boxers.

The persons in uniform, – all of them – completely – lack military bearing. None of them is fully dressed like present day NA personnel. The camouflage is not the proper NA camouflage in use today. This can easily be compared and corroborated. pic.twitter.com/bYqtrT0Krv

— Nigerian Army (@HQNigerianArmy) February 21, 2019

However, the Nigerian Army in a statement signed by the acting Director Army Public Relations, Col. Sagir Musa, said the style of camouflage being worn by the soldiers in the video was no longer in use, adding that the men could be impostors. The statement reads:

“However, looking at the video closely and carefully, even without or before deliberate investigation is conducted, one can raise salient fundamental common sense observations with regards to the video especially on the three persons that are dressed in camouflage uniform.

“The observations are: The persons in uniform, – all of them – completely – lack military bearing. None of them is fully dressed like present day Nigerian Army personnel. The camouflage is not the proper NA camouflage in use today. This can easily be compared and corroborated.

“The style of their dressing and the dressing itself, – is at variance with the dressing pattern of contemporary NA soldiers – No name sign on the chest, desert boots on woodland camouflage?

“Again, putting on a belt on top of camouflage uniform has since been banned in NA dress code! Look at the black boot of one of the soldiers in the video – looking – too civil! The setting/the environment in which the atrocity, – the rights abuse was conducted is also suspicious. ‘Soldiers’ carrying a suspect into a private house, not barracks?

“And watching carefully from the victim to the perpetrators of the abuse, – the whole show, the drama appeared stage managed. Ordinarily, how can soldiers of a national army abduct and brutalise in a manner as shown in the video a fellow countryman or woman and record it only for the public to watch? Of what gain is that to him or them as shown in the clip. In other words, there is more to this evil machination.”

Many Nigerians have disagreed with the position of the army, accusing the institution of lying and pretending to be one that respects the rights of civilians. See some of the reactions below:

https://twitter.com/Oliverben/status/1098522815089860608

NDA has to do proper cleaning of their home before coming to tell the public their home is Neat. These are NDA cardets.
This is not the first time we experience a video like this one from the Training ground.

— Justicefreshman (@justicefreshman) February 21, 2019

https://twitter.com/_SHERLOCKY_/status/1098532967213871105

But there are claims that these re students of NDA

— Ukaegbu Great Jnr (@UkaegbuGreatJnr) February 21, 2019

This are cadets,they know that but they are lying foolish Nigeria Army

— IGWE NA ENWERO ONYE ILO (@igwe_johnny) February 21, 2019

That is how they will be killing innocent civillian and come to deny it

— IGWE NA ENWERO ONYE ILO (@igwe_johnny) February 21, 2019

If they're Nigeria army my prayer is let boko haram kill them anything they're at warfare

— Ikenna (@Ikenna10388788) February 21, 2019

When the Nigerian army is scared to even prosecute her Cadets, then know we are doomed… Why the lies?

— Ugoo Ohia (@Noble_one12) February 21, 2019

Go fish them out of the Nigerian defense academy

— mr.phar (@farouqolowo) February 21, 2019

Simple.. They are clearly students of NDA… Why lie?

— BrownKaftan 😇 (@BrownKaftan) February 21, 2019

These are clearly NDA cardets jo

— legendrizz (@legendrizz) February 21, 2019

Hey Nigerians are not fools…we've seen such rubbish before..military personnel never wear complete camou…it's either they wear woodland and desert or mix it from head to toe. The Nigerian Military personnel are never disciplined..they forget they are citizens of Nigeria too!

— Kelvin Achilles (@Kelvin_Achilles) February 21, 2019

https://twitter.com/Man_warrior55/status/1098537072988745729