The Nigerian Army has refuted allegations of illegally detaining a Point-of-Sale (POS) operator, Mr. Nansak Selbar, describing the claims as false and misleading.
The Army clarified that Selbar was arrested for alleged involvement in facilitating kidnapping and other activities detrimental to national security.
In a statement issued on Saturday, January 4, 2025, by Lieutenant Colonel Aliyu Danja, Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations for the 3 Division Nigerian Army, the military dismissed social media reports claiming that the Army and Major General Nansak Shagaya face a N100 million penalty for allegedly detaining Selbar illegally.
The Army revealed that Selbar, a school teacher and POS operator, was apprehended on November 7, 2024, at Nyak Government Secondary School, Shendam Local Government Area of Plateau State.
According to the statement, Selbar’s arrest was linked to his alleged role in aiding kidnappers by collecting ransom payments, procuring military uniforms for criminal elements, and defrauding citizens by falsely offering recruitment into the Nigerian Army.
Lieutenant Colonel Danja emphasized that the arrest was conducted in accordance with the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act (TPPA) 2022.
He stated, “We approached a competent court through a Motion Ex-Parte and obtained an order permitting the military to detain him for further investigation.
Once completed, he will be handed over to the appropriate agency for prosecution.”
The statement also addressed claims circulating online, purportedly made by one Alex Giwa, alleging that Selbar was critically ill and near death due to mistreatment in custody.
The Army dismissed these claims as baseless, accusing “mischief-makers” of spreading falsehoods to incite public sentiment against security agencies.
“The narratives in the article are false and should be outrightly disregarded by the public. Selbar is in custody in line with extant laws, not on the instruction of Major General Nansak Shagaya,” the statement read.
The Army expressed concern over the spread of unverified information by bloggers and social media users, warning that such actions could undermine public trust in security institutions.
“We urge media practitioners to verify facts from all parties before publishing. Fake news can lead to disaffection, confusion, and panic,” the Army stated.
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