NEMA denies Killing of 15 Church Worshippers in Chibok

NEMA said there was no targeted church killing in Chibok.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has denied a report claiming that 15 worshippers were killed in an outskirts of Chibok Local government Council of Borno State on Sunday.

Though some of the reports claimed a source from NEMA provided the information, the agency, in a statement by its spokesperson, Yushau Shuaib, said it contacted the officer involved who denied making such statement.

The agency said it also assigned a special team to investigate and verify the allegation which was later found to be unsubstantiated and untrue.

Though NEMA refuted the church attack, it said its special team found that two people were killed by unidentified gunmen around the area on Sunday.

It said their bodies had been deposited in a hospital. The victims were a security man and a bystander.

NEMA said it could not classify the victims as Muslims or Christians because most of the attacks in that North-East axis are non-discriminatory between religion, tribe or section of the victims.

“This could be deduced from the calibre of personalities including retired military generals, traditional rulers, politicians, public officers, businesspeople, security personnel, traders, students among other that were victims of such attacks,” the agency said.

NEMA said it would never release figures of casualty in whatever form without concrete evidence and certification from relevant authorities including the medical personnel and security agencies.

“The tradition of collaboration with stakeholder in information management during outbreaks of disaster in any part of the country is to eradicate erroneous impressions and misinformation as well as guard against unnecessary reprisal attacks from such speculations,” the agency said.

Meanwhile, the emergency agency said it has provided relief materials to the victims of recent communal clash between Fulani and Gwari in Gwagwalada area of Abuja over encroachment on farmlands.

“Two truckloads of relief materials that include beddings, food items, toiletries, medicaments and tents have been distributed to the victims who are currently squatting in a temporary camp on the Permanent Campus of the University of Abuja,” the agency said.