“Pro-IPOB Actors Running Online Propaganda to Discredit South-East Operations” — Nigerian Army

The Nigerian Army has accused individuals sympathetic to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) of orchestrating an online propaganda campaign aimed at undermining ongoing military operations in the South-East.

In a statement issued by the Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations at the Headquarters of Operation Udo Ka and the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Lt. Col. Olabisi Olalekan Ayeni, the Army said recent social media posts disputing images of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) recovered by troops were part of a coordinated effort to cast doubt on security operations in the region.

According to the Army, some online commentators shifted attention from the operational update by focusing on the ethnic background of the spokesperson who released the information. The military described the development as an attempt to divert attention from recent progress made against armed groups linked to IPOB and its militant wing, the Eastern Security Network.

The controversy followed the publication of images on March 12, 2026, which the Army said showed IEDs recovered during Operation Eastern Sanity—an ongoing offensive targeting insurgent camps in the Orsu axis of Imo and Anambra states.

Some social media users questioned the authenticity of the photographs, claiming the devices were not recovered in the South-East and suggesting the images originated from other parts of the country.

The Army dismissed the claims as misinformation, explaining that the geolocation details on the photographs were deliberately blurred as part of routine operational security procedures.

It said the devices shown in the images were recovered during coordinated operations in Imo and Anambra states, and that the location data was obscured to avoid exposing operational positions.

The military further alleged that individuals sympathetic to IPOB manipulated metadata and geolocation markers on the images to suggest the recoveries were made in Lagos and Oyo states.

According to the Army, troops have in recent weeks dismantled several camps, hideouts and IED-making facilities linked to IPOB and the Eastern Security Network in the Orsu–Eketutu area, often referred to by security officials as the “Mother Valley,” which spans parts of Imo and Anambra states.

To address the controversy and improve transparency, the Army invited media organisations, civil society groups and independent observers to undertake a verification visit to the Orsu–Eketutu and Orsu–Ihiteukwa operational areas.

It said media executives, defence correspondents and civil society representatives interested in the inspection could liaise with the Army Public Relations Department at the Headquarters of the 82 Division to arrange access to the locations and view recovered IED-making materials under controlled conditions.

Reaffirming its institutional character, the Army said the Nigerian military remains a professional and multi-ethnic organisation whose personnel are deployed across the country regardless of their state of origin.

The military also urged Nigerians to exercise caution when sharing unverified information online, warning that misinformation and ethnic profiling could undermine security operations in sensitive environments.