The presidency has warned Nigerians against sharing social media videos attributed to killings in the south-east.
Over the past few weeks, Anambra, a state in the geopolitical zone, has recorded a spate of violence, which has led to killings and the destruction of properties.
Police authorities have attributed the attacks to activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its militant outfit, Eastern Security Network (ESN).
But IPOB has repeatedly denied involvement in the violent attacks in the zone.
Three days ago, a woman and her four children, who are from the northern part of the country, were killed by gunmen in Orumba north LGA of Anambra.
A gory video showing their bodies had appeared on social media platforms, eliciting criticism and condemnation.
Reacting to the incident, Garba Shehu, presidential spokesperson, in a statement on Wednesday, warned against retaliatory violence.
The presidential spokesperson quoted President Muhammadu Buhari as describing the attacks in the south-east as “wild” and “barbarous”.
“The Presidency wishes to caution against any knee-jerk reactions, the creation of panic, disruption of lives and livelihoods, or even retaliatory violence following the viral videos of the alleged killings of non-indigenes by the Eastern Security Network (ESN) and its mother terrorist group, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB),” the statement reads.
“While expert agencies are now verifying the factuality and veracity of the claims that accompany the horrid pictures being circulated, we call on all citizens to avoid hasty steps or conclusions that could exacerbate the situation, and on the contrary keep to a line of conduct that will help the law to take its proper course
“The presidency also cautions the public against the indiscriminate sharing of posts on social media so as to deny vested interests who seek to divide us and create disturbance the chance to do so.”