The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says a supposed ‘Breaking News Flash’ with the headline “Nigerian Air Force Kills Over 250 Boko Haram fighters In Maiduguri” is totally fake.
Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, the NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, made this known in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.
Daramola said the fake news said to have been released on February 13 by one ‘Comr Aminu Shuaibu Musawa’ did not originate from the Air Force.
“The Nigeria Air Force wishes to categorically state that the false sensational news item, with its gory doctored visuals, is totally fake and did not originate from the NAF.
“Media houses and indeed the general public are please reminded that authentic information on the activities of the NAF will always be released officially by the Director of Public Relations and Information (DOPRI),” he said.
He also said that authentic information on the activities of the Service would always be released officially by the DOPRI and carried on the NAF website, www.airforce.mil.ng, as well as NAF official social media handles.
The NAF spokesman gave the NAF official social media handles as: Twitter – @NigAirForce; Facebook – Nigerian Air Force HQ (@hqnigerianairforce); Instagram – Nigerian Air Force, and YouTube – Nigerian Air Force.
“Any reports emanating from other sources without verification from the NAF should be completely discountenanced,” he said.
Daramola said the NAF had commenced action that would lead to the prosecution of the originator(s) of the aforementioned false report for disseminating fake news.
