The ministry of Defence has debunked a video trending on social media where a man carrying AK47 rifle was portrayed as the Minister of Defence Maj-Gen Bashir Salihi Magashi (retd), describing it “as misleading and misinforming.”
A statement by Special Assistant to the Minister on Media and Publicity Mohammad Abdulkadri, said its findings revealed the identity of the person in the video as the Rector of the Nigerian Army College of Environmental Science and Technology (NACEST) Makurdi.
He said the video was put on the Internet to portray the Minister in bad light as feeling unsafe at a time he is successfully occupying the driver’s seat in implementing the vision of President Muhammadu Buhari to end all internal security challenges bedeviling the country.
He called on the public to discountenance and disregard false information being spread by the enemies of the government and those who were not happy with the victories of the military against the insurgents and bandits.
The statement reads in parts: The online Media hype on a trending Video indicting the Minister of Defence Maj Gen Bashir Salihi Magashi (retd) carrying AK47 rifle has gone viral to necessitate this rebuttal to clear all negative narratives trailing the fake news.
“First, to erroneously claim that the Person in question in the satanic Video is General Magashi when actually he is not is misleading and misinforming.
“In fact, findings have revealed the undeniable identity of the person in the video as the Rector of the Nigerian Army College of Environmental Science and Technology (NACEST) Makurdi, ( Name withheld) who by virtue of his Command position is statutorily allowed in the Military to sign for weapons when travelling.
“In fact the Army green colour on the Innonson Jeep and the Unit sticker of NACEST on the official Vehicle are enough evidences to neutralise the spurious claim in the clip being referred to as the Official vehicle of the Minister of Defence who uses black Land cruiser jeep like his counterparts in other ministries.
“This video was undoubtedly put on the Internet to portray the Minister in bad light as feeling unsafe at a time when he is successfully occupying the driver’s seat in implementing the vision of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari to end all internal security challenges bedeviling the country.
“Finally for the sake of emphasis and the avoidance of doubt the Minister was not the person in the video as being portrayed and Nigerians are advised to be wary of bad guys in the Internet and their collaborators in Social Media sharing unverified stories to discredit the successes the fighting troops have been recording in counter terrorism and anti-banditry campaigns in the country.”
Video of Magashi carrying AK-47 fake- Aide
