May 25, 2022

The Presidency has cautioned the public against the indiscriminate sharing of posts on social media, to deny vested interests who seek to divide the country the chance to do so.

It also cautioned against any knee-jerk reactions, the creation of panic, disruption of lives and livelihoods, or even retaliatory violence following the viral videos of the alleged killings of non-indigenes by the Eastern Security Network (ESN) and its mother terrorist group, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

The President’s Senior Special Assistant to the Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, stated this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

Shehu said: “While expert agencies are now verifying the factuality and veracity of the claims that accompany the horrid pictures being circulated, we call on all citizens to avoid hasty steps or conclusions that could exacerbate the situation, and on the contrary keep to a line of conduct that will help the law to take its proper course.’’

The presidential aide quoted President Buhari as condemning the “wild, barbarous and wanton killings of innocent people” in the South-East as well as the other parts of the country, describing it as “deeply distressing.”

The president warned the perpetrators of the acts to expect tough response from the security forces.