The Prime Minister of the Biafra Referendum, Simon Ekpa, has responded to the Nigerian Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, for his plan to continue responding to security threats in the Southeast.
Lagbaja spoke at the Headquarters of the 6th Division of the Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Wednesday, July 10, 2024, while inaugurating projects executed by the division’s General Officer Commanding (GOC), Maj.-Gen. Jamal Abdussalam.
According to the COAS, the Army will swiftly take action against any security threat to protect innocent citizens from harm. They plan to respond with force against gunmen wielding military-grade weapons.
The COAS stated, “The Army will continue to respond to all those security threats in accordance with laid down constitutional provisions and the procedures in our book. The soldiers will respond in line with our code of conduct and rules of engagement.
“For all threats to security, the Army will respond appropriately. For people, who are carrying military grade weapons openly, troops will respond with force to protect law-abiding citizens, to protect our equipment that they deployed in the population space and to secure their own lives.
“So, what has happened with the attacks on the troops in the past? I believe it is one off thing but the troops will continue to operate within this environment to ensure that peace is sustained”.
During his tour of military formations, he mentioned: “Since yesterday (Wednesday) morning, I have been engaged in a tour of formations and units of the Nigerian Army under the 6 Division area of responsibility.
“I was in Uyo which is the 2nd Brigade area of responsibility. The security situation in this area of responsibility has generally improved; all thanks to the work that our troops are doing and the support of the stakeholders especially the government at the sub national level and other critical stakeholders in our society”.
In response to Lagbaja’s comment, Simon Ekpa claims that the real threats in the South East are the Army.
He emphasised that the Biafra Liberation Army will continue to address them.
Taking to his X handle, Ekpa wrote, “You are the security threats in the South-East and we are dealing with you decisively.”