The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has denied claims of secretly burying 1000 soldiers in Maiduguri, Borno State.
According to the DHQ, there are no secret graveyards where fallen soldiers are buried, thus the story should be disregarded.
The reaction follows a publication by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) that the army had secretly buried over 1,000 soldiers in unmarked graves in a bid to cover up the casualty figures in the ongoing war against insurgency in the North East.
A statement signed by the Director of Defence Information, Colonel Onyema Nwachukwu, denied the report, calling it an ‘insinuation’.
“It must be unambiguously clarified that the Armed Forces of Nigeria does not indulge in secret burials, as it is sacrilegious and a profanity to extant ethos and traditions of the Nigerian military,” the statement said.
Further, he said that in tandem with the traditions of the Armed Forces, fallen heroes are duly honoured and paid the last respect in befitting military funeral of international standard, featuring funeral parade, gravesite oration, solemn prayers for the repose of departed souls by Islamic and Christian clerics, as well as gun salutes, aside other military funeral rites.
Furthermore he said: “The cemetery described in the publication, which is situated in Maimalari military cantonment is an officially designated military cemetery for the Armed Forces of Nigeria in the North East theatre, with a cenotaph erected in honour of our fallen heroes.
“The official cemetery has played host to several national and international dignitaries, where wreaths were laid in honour of the fallen heroes.
“It is, therefore, a far cry from the sacrilegious impression being painted by Wall Street Journal,” Nwachukwu said.
Post Views: 872
