FACT CHECK: Did Chief of Army Staff, Ibrahim Attahiru Say That ‘Over My Death Will Biafra, Oduduwa Emerge As New Countries’?
Following Friday’s tragic death of Ibrahim Attahiru, the 25th Chief of Army Staff (COAS) of the Nigerian Army, in a plane crash, a claim started circulating online. The headline published on some blogs in March 2021 read: “Over My Death Will Oduduwa, Biafra Emerge As New Countries, Nigeria Is One —Attahiru Warns”.
AllNews noticed this wording is being shared on microblogging platform, Twitter, majorly by accounts of social media users with apparent Biafra separatist leaning. They claim it is from March 2021.
But is that what the late Chief of Army Staff – who died alongside 10 other officers including the crew – really said? AllNews check.
Indeed, as reported by the Nigerian blog, The Republican News, late CoS Attahiru addressed security threats confronting Nigeria in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, at the first Commanding Officers Workshop 2021 on Tuesday, March 23. However, the headline is devious.
“The Nigerian Army under my leadership would remain proactive and jointly work with other security agencies to decisively deal with threats facing the nation.
“The Nigerian Army under my watch remains resolute and is poised more than ever before to decisively deal with individuals or groups that threaten the peace, security and stability of our great nation,” those are the major quotes attributed to Major General Attahiru by prominent news outlets during the visit to Akwa Ibom state at the time.
Besides, the caption, ‘Over My Death…’ is grammatically incorrect.
Conclusion
The claim that late Chief of Army Staff, Ibrahim Attahiru said ‘over my death will Biafra, Oduduwa emerges as new countries’ is crooked.
