Connect with us

Military

REUTERS REPORT, NIGERIAN MILITARY DESERVES COMMENDATION NOT CONDEMNATION- COMMANDANT, NDA

Published

on

REUTERS REPORT, NIGERIAN MILITARY DESERVES COMMENDATION NOT CONDEMNATION- COMMANDANT, NDA

By: Michael Mike

Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) who was also the former General Officer Commanding (GOC) 7 Division Maiduguri, Major General Ibrahim Manu Yusuf has said that the Reuters report of allegations of gross human rights infractions by the Military in Counter Insurgency Operations in the North East is completely false, malicious and ill-intended, adding that the Nigerian Military deserves commendation and not condemnation or distraction.

Testifying before the Hon. Justice Abdu Aboki led Special Independent Investigative Panel on Human Rights Violations in Counter Insurgency Operations in the North East (SIIP-NE), the former GOC said those allegations contained in the news report are weighty, arguing that the military operates in a community where it interacts with different categories of stakeholders including personnel of United Nation Agencies who could have noticed and reported any human rights violations from the onset.

Continuing, the Commandant of the NDA said the people in the communities will also not keep quiet and watch such atrocities happen without hinting the appropriate authorities. “We have had to answer questions simply because we closed down markets following intelligence information we got on planned attacks by insurgents, if this can happen do you think such alleged crimes reported by Reuters will go unnoticed without any questioning before now?” he asked.

The former leader of the Joint Multinational Task Force further stated that the Military is a regimented institution that pays particular attention to every detail in relating with people “when you throw away the rule of law, you have lost it, you cannot win the hearts and minds of the people you are protecting, they will also not trust you, and it will be difficult for you to operate in their territory”.

Expressing disappointment in the Reuters report, the army officer said it is unimaginable for anyone to think that the military can kill rescued children for any reason. He pointed out that the military has celebrated the naming ceremony of children fathered by Boko Haram “we have on our own provided rams and bought clothes for the celebration of naming ceremonies of children of Boko Haram born in our custody, and some of these children were named after us as a way of expressing excitement over our goodwill. If we want to exterminate them, we would have done so by killing the pregnant women even before they gave birth, we won’t have go through the headache of conducting the said abortions”.

Describing the allegations as painful and irrational, the Commandant said no military formation keeps women and children when they are rescued; they are immediately handed over to the camps, if you keep them they become a threat and distraction to you.

On his part, the Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary Borno State Ministry of Justice Barr. Garba Musa Chibok, who earlier appeared before the 7-man panel, said it is very unreasonable for anyone to fabricate stories that are baseless. He challenged Justice Abdu Aboki (rtd) led panel to invite Reuters for questioning, saying Borno State as at 2013 (the period referred to in the Reuters report) was in turmoil, people were busy running for their lives and seeking hiding places from the insurgents while the military was bothered about neutralizing the terrorists. “Tell me, in this situation who has time to think of anything like abortion?”

On the issue of the massacre of children, the Solicitor General also debunked the allegation saying “I am from Chibok and I am seriously affected by this problem, all the children rescued from the frontline are alive, I know them some of them are my relations, you can call them to come here and talk to you. None of them was killed; some of the girls released at that time came with one baby or more. Where did Reuters see those ones that they claim have been killed? Please invite them, let them come here and tell us” he appealed.

Fatimah Agwai Mohammed
Deputy Director Public Affairs.

REUTERS REPORT, NIGERIAN MILITARY DESERVES COMMENDATION NOT CONDEMNATION- COMMANDANT, NDA

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Military

Army troops ISWAP Attack Repelled in Gajiram

Published

on

Army troops ISWAP Attack Repelled in Gajiram

By: Zagazola Mamama.

Troops of the Nigerian military, late Monday night, repelled an attempted attack by suspected fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) on Gajiram, headquarters of Nganzai Local Government Area of Borno.

Zagazola Makama gathered from security sources that the insurgents launched the attack at about 2200 hours but met stiff resistance from troops stationed in the area.

According to the sources, ISWAP fighters were unable to gain access into Gajiram town as they were engaged in a gun duel by security forces, leading to the foiling of the assault.

However, the attackers reportedly fired projectiles during the encounter, one of which landed in an Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp within the vicinity, triggering an inferno.

Army troops ISWAP Attack Repelled in Gajiram

Continue Reading

Military

Troops neutralise suspected ISWAP informant in Borno ambush

Published

on

Troops neutralise suspected ISWAP informant in Borno ambush

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of Sector 3, MNJTF/Operation Hadin Kai, have neutralised a suspected ISWAP informant during a successful ambush operation in Karagawaru area of Kaga Local Government Area, Borno State.

Zagazola Makama was informed that the operation, which is part of the ongoing Operation Desert Sanity IV, was carried out by troops of the 29 Task Force Brigade in the early hours of Friday.

The source said the troops laid in wait at the suspected crossing point and at about 12:30 a.m., sighted and engaged the suspected informant.

“Troops neutralised one suspected Boko Haram informant and recovered one locally fabricated Dane gun and a bicycle used by the suspect,” the source disclosed.

The troops returned safely to base at about 3:40 a.m. without casualties.

Troops neutralise suspected ISWAP informant in Borno ambush

Continue Reading

Military

Troops Eliminate Notorious Bandit Leader Kachalla Bello Kaura in Zamfara

Published

on

Troops Eliminate Notorious Bandit Leader Kachalla Bello Kaura in Zamfara

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA ave neutralised a notorious bandit leader, Kachalla Bello Kaura, in a successful operation carried out in Goburawar Dawan Jiya village, located in Anka Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

Reliable intelligence sources, told Zagazola Makama that the operation occurred during the weeklong offensive campaign resulting in the death of Kaura and several of his fighters during a tactical raid on their hideout.

Zagazola understand that Kachalla Bello Kaura was identified as a key terror figure responsible for numerous deadly attacks across Zamfara, Kebbi, and Sokoto States.

He was also linked to the terror group Ansaruddin, and was believed to have facilitated the group’s incursion into Bagega Forest and the Gando Game Reserve, where he reportedly received training in the assembly and use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

Born in Sunke village in Anka LGA, Kaura was the younger brother of late Kachalla Alhaji Shadari, another infamous bandit kingpin who was eliminated by security forces in January 2023 during an operation in the Sunke Forest.

Following Shadari’s death, Kaura assumed leadership of the group and continued to orchestrate violent attacks, particularly in Anka, Bukkuyum, and Gummi LGAs of Zamfara State. He was also responsible for cross-border assaults in parts of Kebbi and Sokoto States, often attributed to Lakurawa by security agencies.

Security sources confirm that the operation was carried out after weeks of surveillance and coordinated intelligence efforts, resulting in a significant blow.

Authorities have reaffirmed their commitment to sustaining pressure on terror and bandit networks in the North West zone and called on residents to continue providing credible intelligence to support ongoing military and security operations.

Troops Eliminate Notorious Bandit Leader Kachalla Bello Kaura in Zamfara

Continue Reading

Trending

Verified by MonsterInsights