Nigerian govt rejects video allegedly showing defence minister with AK-47 inside vehicle

The Ministry of Defence on Sunday dismissed as fake and mischievous, a video currently in circulation allegedly showing the minister, Maj.-Gen. Bashir Magashi (retd), boarding a black Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) with an AK-47 rifle strapped across his shoulder.

The video has attracted several reactions since it surfaced on social media.

The Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the minister, Muhammad Abdulkadri, who made the clarification in a statement on Sunday, said the person in the video was the rector of a Nigerian Army college.

He said: “To claim that the person in the video is Gen. Magashi is false and misinforming.

“Findings have revealed the undeniable identity of the person in the video as the rector of a Nigerian Army college.

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“By virtue of the rector’s command and position, he is statutorily allowed in the military to sign for weapons when travelling.

“The army green colour on the vehicle shown in the video and the unit sticker on the official vehicle are enough evidence to neutralise the spurious claim on the video.”

Abdulkadri also said that the vehicle in the video was not the minister’s official car.

The minister’s aide added: “Going by the verifiable and tenable analysis of the video, the minister is not the person in the video as being portrayed.”

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