An unfounded claim according to local authorities, the members of the local peace committee (CLP), and the Ministry of Defense and the Restructuring of the National Army contacted by AFC.
For several days, a widely circulated piece of information on Facebook, accompanied by an image, suggests that the Central African Armed Forces (FACA) are causing disturbances among the local population in Obo, in the Haut-Mbomou Prefecture, located 1,224 km from Bangui. Published on April 14 by Corbeau News Centrafrique (CNC), the post reads: “In Obo, the FACA are causing chaos among the population…” However, local authorities, the local peace committee, and the Ministry of Defense and the Restructuring of the National Army, contacted by AFC, all denied this claim.
Detailed Verification:
To discern fact from fiction, AFC contacted the Ministry of Defense and the Restructuring of the National Army, local authorities, and the local peace committee.
Captain Firmin Amolomalo, spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense and the Restructuring of the National Army, stated: “I assure you that the General Staff has strict instructions for the FACA, so no member of our national force would cause panic among the population they are meant to protect. Frankly, this is false.”
Jude Ngayako, Prefect of Haut-Mbomou, also denied the information, saying: “This is a false matter; the FACA are not causing chaos among the population here. Instead, it is the rebel group created by the three deputies from the prefecture who are now attacking our forces. Therefore, this concerns only their responsibility, but no wrongdoing has been committed by the FACA.”
Abdoul Karim, President of the local peace committee in the prefecture, also refuted the claim: “As a well-trained force, the FACA cannot commit abuses against people they are supposed to protect. These are false allegations, and I have not even observed any such events.”
This information arose following the creation of a rebel group named “Azande Ani Kpi Gbé” in the Haut-Mbomou Prefecture, demanding the resignation of the prefect of the locality. Note that the information alleging that the FACA have caused chaos among the people of Obo is false, as verified by AFC.
By Princia Florence / Romaric GBOMANDJI
This article is produced as part of the AFC-Internews partnership funded by USAID. However, the content does not engage the responsibility of the partner.
Do you find any information or images suspicious? Contact our editorial team at: +236 75 38 11 73 / 72 30 85 45, or email us at [email protected]
