Abducted girls: Defence Headquarters denies receiving four hours forewarning

By Adekunle Aliyu

The Defence Headquarters have refuted the claims by Amnesty International that the Army was notified hours before the Chibok attack and consequently kidnap of 276 girls in Borno.

This came as the Minister Of Information, Mr Labaran Maku said on Friday that Federal Government will investigate the Amnesty International report which indicated that the Nigeria’s military had advance warning of the attack on Chibok where the girls were kidnapped but failed to act

The DHQ in a statement signed by Chris  Olukolade Major General Director Defence Information/Coordinator stated that the allegation by Amnesty International, that the military authority was informed of the impending attack but failed to nip it in the bud, is very unfortunate and untrue.

Much as the Nigerian military appreciates the global concern and show of solidarity with the country at this trying moments, falsehood should not be introduce as a means of assessing the situation.  It has to be categorically stated that the claims by Amnesty International in its report that security forces had advance warning about the abduction of students of Government Secondary School Chibok, Borno State by terrorists is unfounded.

Contrary to the organisation’s claims, troops in Maiduguri did not receive four hours forewarning about the attacks.  Rather, they received information of an ongoing attack on Chibok community from troops on patrol who on noting the attack engaged the terrorists and called for more reinforcement to contain them.

As the troops on reinforcement traversed the over 120km rugged and tortuous road from Maiduguri to Chibok, they ran into an ambush by terrorists who engaged them in fierce firefight and a number of soldiers lost their lives. Another set of soldiers also mobilized for the mission arrived after the terrorists had escaped due to a series of misleading information that slowed down the pursuit.

It must therefore be clearly stated that contrary to the claim by the Amnesty International, the information received by troops at the Division Headquarters in Maiduguri was not a forewarning but the call for reinforcement by troops on patrol.  Considering the vastness of the mission area, deployment has been more of patrols than static.

The imputation of cowardice on the part of troops is particularly confounding as the military has internal mechanism to deal with such tendencies.  These spurious allegations are obviously a continuation of the campaign intended to cause disaffection, portray the military in bad light and undermine the counter-terrorism efforts.

Although the Chibok incident is still subject to more investigation, the Defence Headquarters appeals to individuals and organisations to refrain from circulating spurious allegations that could undermine both the operation and investigation of conduct of the mission generally.

Amnesty International in it report said that the Nigeria’s military had advanced warning of the April 14 attack by Boko Haram that led to the kidnapping of more than 200 schoolgirls but failed to take immediate action.

“Damning testimonies gathered by Amnesty International reveal that Nigerian security forces failed to act on advance warnings about Boko Haram’s armed raid on the state-run boarding school in Chibok which led to the abduction,” the rights group said.

Amnesty said it had verified the information about the abduction with “credible sources”.

“Amnesty International has confirmed… that Nigeria’s military headquarters in Maiduguri was aware of the impending attack soon after 7:00 PM (1800 GMT) on 14 April, close to four hours before Boko Haram began their assault on the town,” the group said.

The military however could not assemble the troops needed to suppress the attack, “due to poor resources and a reported fear of engaging with the often better-equipped” Islamists, according to Amnesty.

The 17 army personnel based in Chibok were overpowered by the attackers and had to retreat, the London-based group further said.

“The fact that Nigerian security forces knew about Boko Haram’s impending raid, but failed to take the immediate action needed to stop it, will only amplify the national and international outcry at this horrific crime,” said Netsanet Belay, Amnesty International’s Africa Director for research and advocacy

 

Abducted girls: Defence Headquarters denies receiving four hours forewarning

We killed six insurgents, says military

The Defence Headquarters said yesterday that the military has launched a “Specialised Campaign” against Boko Haram.

The campaign is being carried out simultaneously in Yobe, Borno and Adamawa states – three states which are under state of emergency to curb the Boko Haram insurgency – to apprehend the terrorists who attacked a school in Yobe, killing scores of pupils.

Also, the Defence Headquarters confirmed that troops killed six Boko Haram fighters and captured two others after attacking Michika in Adamawa State on Wednesday.

One soldier and three civilians died in the encounters with the sect’s fighters.

Defence Headquarters (DHQ) spokesman Maj.-Gen. Chris Olukolade spoke in Abuja.

Gen. Olukolade said: “The Defence Headquarters acknowledges with grave concern the recent mindless killing of innocent school children and other citizens in towns and villages following terrorist activities in some parts of the Northeast.

“The dastardly act has expectedly attracted the reaction of well-meaning individuals who have been condemning the senseless bloodletting.

“Disturbing as this trend proves, the fact remains that the chilling episodes are simply typical of terrorists’ intention to intimidate the people into subscribing to their false claim to invincibility.

“This distressing situation notwithstanding, it must be pointed out that the current activities of the terrorist groups are actually at best a reaction to the renewed offensive against the terror outfit whose operatives had infiltrated the country to support their hitherto depleted membership and counterparts in their daring acts to reinvent relevance by embarking on renewed attacks on soft targets.”

Gen. Olukolade said the military has launched a specialised campaign in Yobe, Borno and Adamawa states.

He added: “The purpose of this briefing is to intimate you with the elevation of counter-terrorism campaign in the country.

“The new approach marks another phase in the operations designed to further contain the terrorists and their activities.

“The specialised campaign, which has commenced, is being undertaken simultaneously in Yobe, Borno and Adamawa states. This operation is also in furtherance of efforts at apprehending the terrorists and ensuring they do not escape out of Nigeria as they are now so desperate to do.”

He also gave an insight into the sect’s attack on Michika on Wednesday night.

He said: “Unfortunately, however, they have in the course of their flight towards various borders, continued to perpetrate mayhem as noticed in some parts of Adamawa State yesterday night where they attacked communities.

“In desperation for money and food, they looted and burnt banks, shops and filling stations along their way through Michika as they headed for Cameroon border.

“Six of their fighters were killed, two captured while nine of their vehicles were destroyed. One soldier and three civilians also died in the encounter.

“It is believed that those involved in this latest attacks are the elements that perpetrated the mayhem against students of Federal Government College, Buni Yadi, Yobe State and other places.

“They have been holed up and are still engaged in suicidal fighting, apparently with a view to attaining martyrdom status, as troops close in on the die-hard ones among them.”

Gen. Olukolade pleaded with Nigerians in insurgency prone areas to report suspicious movements to security agencies.

He said: “Citizens in these states, particularly towards border areas, are requested to assist the security forces by reporting any movement of the group, if noticed in their locality, as it would further enhance the operations as well as assist in apprehending or eliminating them. All things being equal, the activities of this murderous group will be further degraded towards total elimination shortly.

“Citizens are enjoined to show understanding of the situation and continue to cooperate with the security forces, especially with vital and timely information on the movements of these terrorists to enable quick response accordingly.” (0)

We killed six insurgents, says military