Olushola Omogbehin
The Headquarters of 6 Brigade Nigerian Army and Sector 3 of Operation Whirl Stroke has said that the reports spreading on social media that the late Commanding Officer of the 20 Model Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Emmanuel Gabriel Okoye, was killed in a bandit attack is not correct.
This was disclosed on Thursday by the Acting Assistant Director of Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Umar Muhammad, where he described the reports as misleading, inaccurate, and devoid of verified facts.
The statement said Lt. Col. Okoye died on June 13, 2026, after a brief illness and not as a result of any operational incident or attack by bandits, contrary to claims made on some social media platforms.
“The circumstances surrounding his demise are clear and have been duly communicated through official channels,” the statement said.
Expressing concern over what it calls the growing spread of false narratives regarding the officer’s death, Muhammad said such rumour was not only misleading but also insensitive to the bereaved family and the institution.
It further warned that the spread of unverified information could cause serious anxiety among military personnel, their families, and members of the public.
He further lamented that some individuals and media platforms had chosen to speculate about the death of the senior officer without seeking confirmation from official sources.
He therefore appealed to members of the public to disregard the reports and avoid spreading unsubstantiated claims that could undermine public confidence and dishonour the memory of the deceased officer.
