The Nigerian Army has condemned in the strongest term what it describes as indiscriminate sharing on social media of graphic pictures of personnel who paid the supreme price in the cause of defending and protecting the country from its adversaries.
A statement by the director public relations and information Brigadier General Mohammed Yerima states that this act is not only unpatriotic but very insensitive and utterly reprehensible.
Officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army deployed to various theatres of internal security operations are on legitimate duties and are in the harm’s way to defend and protect the country from those who are intent on destroying it.
The Statement adds that while the Army and its personnel understand the nature of the noble calling and are ever ready to confront any danger of adversity on the way, what is most unfathomable is the glee with which some people share the gory pictures of officers and soldiers who are either killed-in-action or Wounded-in-action in the media.
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These unpatriotic acts are often done without any modicum of consideration for the memories of the departed personnel or their family members. In some cases, their loved ones do find out about their unfortunate death in such callous manner before they are even contacted by the military authorities.
One can only imagine the trauma and pain such families go through waking up to see the gory pictures of their loved ones splashed on the social media.
The Army says this is totally unacceptable and will henceforth take legal actions to protect troops who die in action from being ridiculed on social media or any platform
(Editor: Nkoli Omhoudu).
