We Are Building Training Facility In South East Not Ruga Settlement — Army

The 83 Division Nigerian Army in Enugu has debunked rumours making the rounds that it is constructing a Ruga settlement at Igbo-Etiti community in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State.

The army described the report which is being aired on some online radio as maliciously aimed at inciting the public against the Nigerian Army and urged the public to disregard the rumour.

Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, in charge of 82 Division, Major Abubakar Abdullahi, who made this known in a statement on Wednesday, said the alleged construction of a Ruga is actually a military training facility embarked by army engineers at Igbo-Etiti Community of Udi Local Government Area, Enugu State. He said the project which is currently under construction when completed would accommodate troops during training and aid to improve their efficiency in protecting law-abiding citizens across the South East.

Abdullahi’s statement reads:

‘The 82 Division Nigerian Army has noted with utmost concern, a baseless allegation aired through an outlawed online radio that the Division of the Nigerian Army is currently constructing a Ruga Settlement at Igbo-Etiti community of Udi Local Government Area, Enugu State.

“Though this inciting broadcast emanates from a source bereft of any credibility whatsoever, there is need however to present the facts clearly for the sake of posterity. It must be emphasised that Nigerian Army Engineers are not constructing any Ruga Settlement in any part of Nigeria. Rather, the Engineers are currently constructing a military training facility at Igbo-Etiti Community of Udi Local Government Area, Enugu State. Upon completion, the facility will accommodate troops during training and aid to improve their efficiency in protecting law-abiding citizens across the South East. Any counter-narrative aired on the project is a malicious falsehood aimed at inciting the public against the Nigerian Army.

‘Members of the public are therefore advised to disregard such untrue and false information emanating from this aforementioned media or any information source. The Nigerian Army remains a credible institution that unites the country and has no place for ethnoreligious sentiments. We shall continue to carry out our constitutional tasks objectively across the country and remain totally apolitical.’