BY Taiwo Adebulu
A few hours after Ibrahim Attahiru, chief of army staff (COAS), and 10 other officers died in an aircraft crash in Kaduna, on Friday, some reports began to circulate on social media that the late security chief once said there will be no Biafra or Oduduwa Republic as long as he is alive.
In a series of blog and social media posts in March, Attahiru was said to have said the army would deal with people agitating for secession in the country.
It was claimed he made the statement while speaking at the first commanding officers’ workshop in Uyo, Akwa-Ibom state capital, earlier in the year.
“As long as I’m alive, there will be no Biafra or Oduduwa. We’re one Nigeria,” Attahiru was claimed to have said in March.
The claim has been reshared by different social media users after the death of the late chief of army staff was announced on Friday.
On Facebook, Leopold Onyeuwa wrote: “Power in the tongue! Need we any more prophesy to know what will happen? Man is not God. This man prophesied his own death in ignorance. Too bad! May his fellows learn from this.”
VERIFYING THE CLAIM
Going through online resources, it was ascertained that the first commanding officers’ workshop was held in Akwa-Ibom state capital in March — with Attahiru present.
On March 22, the media unit of the state government said Udom Emmanuel, the governor, received Attahiru at the government house in Uyo.
“The Chief of Army Staff is in the state for the First Commanding Officers’ Workshop 2021 with the theme “Repositioning The Nigerian Army To Defeat Contemporary Adversaries In A Joint Environment” hosted by 6 Division Nigerian Army at Ibom Hall, Uyo,” the media unit said in a statement.
Attahiru with Udom
According to several news stories from six national newspapers on the event, the late chief of army staff said he would “decisively deal with individuals or groups that threaten the peace, security and stability of our great nation.” However, none of the analysed news sources quoted Attahiru to have said, “as long as I’m alive, there will be no Biafra or Oduduwa. We’re one Nigeria”.
A statement by Mohammed Yerima, army spokesperson, on the event did not also contain such a quote.
VERDICT: No sufficient evidence, video or audio, to prove that Attahiru said there will be no Biafra or Oduduwa Republic as long as he lived. The statement credited to the late chief of staff can be classified as false.
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