Posted by Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, the apex Igbo socio-cultural group, has asked citizens of Enugu State to disregard a viral video suggesting that a helicopter dropped hundreds of people on top of a hill in Enugu’s capital city.
A female voice on the video claimed to have seen a helicopter drop off hundreds of unknown people.
The popular video was described as malicious and fraudulent by the Enugu State Police Command early on Saturday.
Similarly, the National President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, condemned the video as “mischief taken too far” in a statement made available to press.
“Following a series of inquiries from well-meaning Nigerians regarding claims of helicopters dropping hundreds of unknown persons on the top of Ugwu-ajali hill, bordering Ologo, Jamboree, and Coal Camp areas of Enugu, we activated our network and findings revealed that no such thing occurred,” he said.
“Aside from an Air Force chopper that conducts personnel training in that area, no helicopter came close to that site, let alone dropping hundreds of unknown people.”
Okwu stated that it has become necessary to warn against the misuse of social media because it could backfire when the true crisis arrives.
“The other day, there was a bogus film that claimed soldiers were murdered. Today, once again, a single helicopter drops hundreds of people. This is unfathomable.
“We would like to encourage to our people to exhibit restraint, as this type of false alarm would benefit no one.” Let us not let bogus news harm our home.
“Having stated that, I advise the people of Enugu State to carry on with their usual lives,” he added.