No Boko Haram Attack In Dikwa, Says Council Boss

Source: thewillnigeria.com

BEVERLY HILLS, CA, June 10, (THEWILL) - The reported cases of incessant Boko Haram attacks in some areas of Borno State recently may have been exaggerated.

This is as the Caretaker Chairman of Dikwa Local Government Area of the state, Alhaji Ali Modu Gana, Tuesday declared that the reported attack on his council area by Boko Haram on Monday was all bunch of lies.

A Boko Haram attack on the council area had reportedly led to the burning of the council secretariat as security operatives deployed to the area were reportedly chased away.

The Council chief said the report by the news media that 'some Boko Haram terrorists invaded Dikwa on Monday and set ablaze the council secretariat after chasing away security operatives deployed to the area is untrue.'

According to him, 'There was no Boko Haram attack in Dikwa as carelessly and unprofessionally reported.'

He described the report as baseless, unfounded, untrue, saying it was aimed at misleading the public and give the rampaging terrorists cheap publicity.

Gana said for the members of the public to be so misled and misinformed was nothing other than professional misconduct and coming from an international news media shows 'how members of the public and the audience are been misled, misinformed, misguided and faced with media imperialism.'

Gana stated further: 'I was in Dikwa throughout yesterday (Monday), I even sworn in all my appointed Ward Councillors in line with the constitution peacefully, but all of a sudden, people started calling me on phone Tuesday morning sympathising with me that Boko Haram attacked my town and set ablaze our Local Government Secretariat and chased military away.

'In as much as the Constitution guarantees freedom of speech and expression, such freedom must not be misused to give Boko Haram cheap publicity as well as tarnishing the image and integrity of our security forces who are doing their best to ensure peace and tranquility.'

He disclosed that what actually happened in Dikwa on Monday was an explosion caused by faulty solar street light batteries that led to panic by some residents and not a terror attack.

The council chief therefore called on the media to always verify their information before dishing them out to the public to avoid misleading their audience.

He also warned the so-called eyewitnesses of incidents and media sources to always give authentic information and stop spreading rumours that could add to the panic of the people.