The Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Restore Order has said that there is no established case of extra judicial killings, arrest or detention by the JTF in Maiduguri contrary to speculation and reports in some National newspapers.
Spokesman of the JTF, Lt. Col.Sagir Musa told newsmen on Wednesday that, soldiers are professionally guided by mandates and rules of engagement in the conduct of their operations.
According to him, “In our code of conduct and standing instructions, no JTF personnel is allowed to carry video or still camera and cell phones while on operations. It is therefore curious to note that the purported film referred to, circulated and reported by Reuter’s news agency and blindly lifted by some national newspapers was allegedly filmed by a JTF soldier on operation.”
He said, the film was stage managed and the allegation was baseless, terrorist oriented, spurious and bunkum. Adding that, watched the film released, printed and scrutinized the 3 pictures used as the basis for the allegations and discovered as follows:
That, Picture 1 was used as the cover page of the Amnesty International report that was released on 8 November, 2012, as such, the Task Force is worried that the same picture is again being used by Reuters News Agency that reported the picture was captured 2 weeks ago.
Lt. Col. Sagir also added that, the bodies deposited in the pictures cannot be substantiated to be Boko Haram or those of innocent civilians.
He said, picture 2 had earlier been used to maliciously tarnish the image of a Task Force which operated in the middle belt sometimes in 2009.
“It is curious to notice that the same picture is still been used in November 2012 against the JTF. It is worthy to note that the reporter alleged that a JTF soldier recorded the event and gave them the film. This is found to be completely false as the person who did the so called recording cannot be a soldier as purported, since a civilian with a camera can be obviously seen in the background of the picture. This picture has no bearing with the JTF operations and supposed secrecy, else, why should a civilian be in the background taking pictures and yet Reuters claimed the film and pictures were secretly released by a soldier.” He explained.
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