The Nigerian Army has warned protesting members of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), against engaging in acts of treasonable felony, arson and other actions that are capable of threatening the sovereignty of the State.

It said it would not hesitate to apply the Rule of Engagement (ROE) to the letter, if the circumstance arises for it to deploy troops on Internal Security (IS) operations, as guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution (as amended), as well as the Armed Forces Act.

Accordingly, the Army, in a statement by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations (DAPR), Col. Sani Usman, warned its officers and soldiers on Operation MESA and others on IS, to abide strictly by the dictates of the ROE, even as it reiterated the consequences of taking sides during such operations.

Usman noted that the Army has since observed some “short comings especially negligence and outright ignorance displayed by troops deployed for Operation MESA and other Internal Security (IS) Operations.”