Nigerian Army Dismisses Rumours about Alleged Vaccination of South-East People with Monkey Pox Virus

The General Officer Commanding Eighty-Division in Enugu, Major General ADAMU ABUBAKAR made the denial in reaction to wild rumours that spread yesterday, causing panic and forcing parents to run to schools to retrieve their children.
Major General ABUBAKAR said the attention of the Division was drawn to what he called a silly and mischievous publication on the social media alleging that the ongoing free medical services in the South Eastern region was being done with a sinister motive of depopulating the region through the spread of monkey pox virus.
However; the General Officer Commanding said the free medical outreach under Operation Python Dance Two is not a vaccine intended to infect monkey pox or any major contemporary or emerging diseases to the people of South East or any part of the country.
He said the exercise is part of the corporate social responsibility initiatives to the people of the South Eastern region, which is under the area of responsibility of the 82 Division and is also the theatre of Operation Python Dance Two.
Major General ABUBAKAR said the free medical services started on the 18th of September at Nkwaagu community of Abakaliki Local Government Area in Ebonyi State.
It has since been extended to Ovim in Isoukwato Local Government Area of Abia State; Mbaise in Imo State; Orji River in Enugu State, and Ozubulo in Anambra State.
Major General ABUBAKAR said in all the areas mentioned, there has not been any recorded incident or complain of any kind arising from the humanitarian gesture of the Nigerian Army.
He therefore described the rumours as wicked and ill-motivated lies spread by unpatriotic people who are out to discredit the noble services of the Nigerian Army in the region.
The clarification by the GOC was contained in a statement released by the Deputy Director of Army Public Relations of the Eighty Division, Colonel SAGIR MUSA.