With continued complaints about the dearth of resources and equipment the government is providing the Nigerian military, another 59 soldiers are being court martialed for mutiny for refusing to fight Boko Haram, reports the BBC.
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In September, Face2Face Africa reported on 12 soldiers being sentenced to death for mutiny and attempted murder of Major-General Ahmed Mohammad.
At the time, those soldiers reportedly lashed out by firing shots at Maj.-Gen. Mohammad, after losing more peers just days earlier in a Boko Haram ambush that they felt could have been avoided if they had, had the appropriate ammunition and equipment.
In fact, in August, a distressed soldier anonymously told the press that without the proper resources, “soldiers are dying like fowl.”
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.”
While it isn’t clear whether there is overlap between the soldiers who refused to fight in August and this group, these soldiers have been identified as belonging to the Special Forces division.
They are accused of refusing to follow orders to deploy to the northeastern towns where Boko Haram continues to reign.
The lawyer representing the soldiers, though, denies that the soldiers refused direct orders, claiming that there is no evidence that proves such.
Meanwhile, several news outlets have reported that the reported state of the military has made morale low among the ranks, with some even abandoning their posts when faced with the terrorist group.
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