Admits more
soldiers, members of civilian JTF killed
• Terrorists
not defeated yet, Fayose insists
The Nigerian
Army has apologised to the public for issuing a statement that turned out to be
false on last week’s attack on geologists from the University of Maiduguri
(UNIMAID) who were with some officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum
Corporation (NNPC) in the Lake Chad region.
According to
the army, more bodies, comprising five soldiers, 11 Civilian-JTF members and
five oil exploration workers were further recovered by a military rescue team.
The military
institution had claimed to have rescued all the NNPC workers who were carrying
out a survey on oil exploration in the Lake Chad and that nine of its soldiers
were killed during the ambush. But the claim that all the workers were rescued
turned out to be false.
A statement
by the Director of Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen Sani Usman late Saturday
said the earlier information on the incident about the rescue was regrettable
and that it was not deliberate.
This is a
refreshing character shift on the part of the army institution which had been
so protective of its capabilities and viewed operational losses and tactical
failures as admission of weakness.
The
statement reads: “The incident of 25th July 2017 where some Boko Haram
terrorists ambushed our troops including members of the Civilian Joint Task
Force (CJTF) escorting some staff of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation
(NNPC) as well as that of University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) on oil exploration
in Borno Yesu District of Magumeri Local Government Area of Borno State is
unfortunate and highly regrettable.
“Most
regrettable also is my earlier release on the said incident about the rescue of
all NNPC staff. The error in the statement was not deliberate. The Nigerian
Army in this present dispensation is reputed for timely dissemination of
information on activities of our troops in all theatre of operations. We have
strived to keep the public informed on our activities with no intention of
distorting any fact.”
He said the
troops had doubled efforts in the pursuit of the Boko Haram terrorists while
search and rescue was ongoing to secure the safe return of the remaining
civilians.
“So far the
search and rescue team has recovered additional bodies of five soldiers, 11
Civilian JTF and five members of the exploration team.
“Contrary to
reports in some media, six members of exploration team out of 12 that went out
are still missing, while one of the NNPC staff returned to base alive.
“On the
other hand, our pursuit team also recovered 2 of our own gun trucks and an
additional Toyota Buffalo Gun truck from the insurgents. The team also made the
following recoveries; 4 rocket propelled grenade bombs, 4 rocket propelled
grenade chargers, 6 AK-47 rifles, 1 anti-aircraft gun, 1 general purpose
machine gun,1 anti-aircraft gun barrel, 1 rocket propelled grenade tube, 4 dane
guns, 8 tyres and 2 tyre rims.
“Other items
recovered include 1 pumping machine, 2 tyre jacks, 1 super battery, 5
reflective jackets, 3 Toyota Hilux vehicles, 4 jerry cans filled with petrol ,
1 Motorola radio, 1 Geographical Positioning System (GPS), 21 empty jerry cans,
2 shovels and 3 food coolers.”
The army
condoled with the families of all who lost their lives in the incident. “What
the remnants of the Boko Haram terrorists are doing are pure criminal
activities of kidnapping to gain funds. This has been noted and will be jointly
addressed in conjunction with other security services,” he said.
Two
survivors of the attacks, Bukar Ajid and Modu Fantami (not real names) said
they escaped death because of God’s “mercies and miracles.”
Ajid on the
hospital bed of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) said over
100 Boko Haram insurgents participated in the three-hour ambush.
“It was
terrifying and horrific for the insurgents to overwhelm soldiers and other
security personnel escorting us to the Jilli-Bornoyesu axis of Magumeri. Boko
Haram has superior firepower, when compared to our soldiers in the escort
convoy.”
According to
Ajid, 33 members of Civilian JTF were killed. He said the soldiers in the “oil
exploration escort” did their best to contain the attack but because they were
few, they were overwhelmed with Boko Haram superior firepower coming from all
directions.
Governor
Kashim Shettima described the attack as a tragic setback to the fight against
Boko Haram and the efforts to boost Nigeria’s economic fortunes.
Meanwhile,
Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose has dismissed the claim of the All
Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government that it has defeated Boko
Haram insurgents.
Fayose
stated this in a press statement issued yesterday by his Chief Press Secretary,
Mr. Idowu Adelusi in Ado Ekiti.
The governor
noted that the brutal killings by Boko Haram all over the place give the lie to
the Federal Government’s assertion that it has won the battle against
insurgency.
Fayose said
it was a matter of regret that corruption in the military, under the very nose
of a government which claims to be fighting corruption, “has degraded the
military and defeated our gallant soldiers that they are no longer able to
stand up against Boko Haram, not to talk of defeating the insurgents.
“Transparency
International’s revelation that the military inflate contracts to siphon money
meant for the war efforts explains why the insurgents are waxing stronger and
remain undefeatable.
“The war
against insurgency has become a conduit for the siphoning of the resources of
this country. Boko Haram is now the pot of soup or ‘amnesty’ largesse of the
APC government.”
Fayose also
decried what he described as the unbridled corruption of members of the ruling
party, which the government is allegedly sweeping under the carpet.
“They keep
pulling the wool over the eyes of the gullible with their lip-service
commitment to the war against corruption and insurgency. But come 2019, they
will know that the people are not deceived,” he added.
0 Comments