A distressed soldier recently told the press that he and a group of his peers are refusing to fight Islamic terrorist group Boko Haram until they receive the appropriate weapons and ammunition, reports the BBC.
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Of the soldiers’ situation, the unnamed soldier reportedly said that with the lack of firearms and appropriate resources, soldiers are just being sent off to die, “Soldiers are dying like fowl,” he said.
The soldier says that there are at least 40 more reportedly stationed just outside Maiduguri who have decided not to fight. He added, “The Nigerian army is not ready to fight Boko Haram. Boko Haram are inside the bush, everywhere,” he said. “They [senior commanders] are sacrificing soldiers.”
Defense Ministry Spokesman General Chris Olukolade, however, denied the soldier’s claims, saying, “We may not have all it takes, but we are improving on it [equipment] regularly.”
And while authorities say that they will investigate the purported mutiny, the unnamed soldier looked to drive home his point of the state of his fellow soldiers, when he reportedly pointed to the “old armoured cars” that they are forced to drive in, in spite of the sophisticated weaponry they are facing.
Given the events of the past few months, the unnamed soldier may very well be telling the truth.
In May, Face2Face Africa reported on an attack that went wrong also in Maiduguri.
At the time, soldiers — reportedly frustrated with the inferior arms they had been given — ended up firing on their own commander.
“In other news, soldiers frustrated with the reported lack of sufficient arms to fight insurgents, reportedly fired on their own commander’s, Maj-Gen Ahmed Mohammed, car in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State. The soldiers were reportedly protesting the men they lost in yet another Boko Haram ambush on Tuesday without adequate resources.
“General Mohammad wasn’t harmed in the shooting.”
And to the unnamed soldier’s point, there have been numerous reports over the months of Boko Haram fighting both civilians and the military, alike, with sophisticated weaponry that would make even the best funded soldiers take a pause.
In May, Face2Face Africa also reported on an attack that took place in Gamboru Ngala:
“Reportedly yelling,’God is great,’ Boko Haram terrorists, who donned military uniforms, waged a devastating assault against residents and the police forces of town Gamboru Ngala located in Borno State on Monday afternoon, with reports of the assault just hitting the news on Wednesday.
“Boko Haram’s alleged attack was cruel and clearly meant to take as many lives as possible, with their synchronized use of rocket-propelled grenades and hand-thrown bombs in to a vibrant marketplace.”
In fact, in that particular attack, the local police station had its roof torn off with a bomb.
Exactly what is the government doing with Nigeria’s resources?
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