Nigerian Army Accuses Pro-IPOB Activists of Online Campaign Against South-East Operations

Nigerian Army Accuses IPOB Sympathizers of Social Media Disinformation Campaign

The Nigerian Army has leveled serious accusations against individuals allegedly sympathetic to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), claiming they are orchestrating a coordinated social media campaign to undermine military operations in the South-East region.

In a statement released by Lt. Col. Olabisi Olalekan Ayeni, Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations at the Headquarters of Operation Udo Ka and the 82 Division Nigerian Army, military officials detailed what they describe as a deliberate propaganda effort to cast doubt on recent security successes.

The controversy centers on photographs released on March 12 showing improvised explosive devices (IEDs) reportedly recovered during Operation Eastern Sanity, an ongoing offensive targeting insurgent camps in the Orsu area spanning parts of Imo and Anambra states. According to the Army, certain social media users disputed the authenticity of these images, suggesting they were not actually captured in the South-East.

“The devices in the images released were recovered during the ongoing Operation Eastern Sanity conducted simultaneously in Imo and Anambra states,” the statement clarified. “However, the geolocation on the pictures was blurred for operational security reasons and not for any ulterior motives.”

Military officials further alleged that IPOB sympathizers manipulated metadata and geolocation markers on the released photographs to falsely indicate the recoveries were made in Lagos and Oyo States rather than in the South-East region. This misinformation campaign, the Army contends, aims to divert public attention from significant operational progress against IPOB and its militant wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN).

The Army expressed particular concern about attempts to introduce ethnic dimensions into security discussions by highlighting the background of the military spokesperson who issued the operational update, rather than focusing on the substance of military achievements in the region.

In recent weeks, security forces claim to have dismantled several camps, hideouts, and IED-manufacturing facilities linked to IPOB and ESN in the Orsu–Eketutu “Mother Valley” general area. These operations are part of broader efforts to restore security in southeastern Nigeria, where separatist agitation has contributed to instability.

To counter skepticism and enhance transparency, the Army has extended an unusual invitation to media organizations, civil society groups, and independent observers to undertake a verification tour of the operational areas. Interested parties can coordinate with the Army Public Relations Department at the 82 Division Headquarters to arrange inspections of the areas and examine recovered IED-making materials firsthand.

“The Nigerian Army is, and remains, an apolitical, professional and multi-ethnic institution. Personnel are deployed across the country irrespective of state of origin in service to the nation,” the statement emphasized, pushing back against alleged attempts to introduce ethnic divisions within the military ranks.

The military has also made available three sets of images for public scrutiny: the original unedited photographs from the operation, the blurred versions published on official platforms, and what they describe as manipulated copies circulated by critics online.

Security analysts note that the information battlespace has become increasingly important in Nigeria’s various regional conflicts, with social media serving as both a tool for transparency and a vector for disinformation. The Army’s unusual step of inviting independent verification reflects growing recognition of the need to establish credibility in an era of widespread information skepticism.

As military operations continue in the South-East, authorities have urged the public to exercise caution when sharing unverified information, warning that misinformation, ethnic profiling, and propaganda could undermine security efforts in an already sensitive operational environment.