UPDATED: Why Military Failed In Baga And Monguno Despite Warnings
The Amnesty International (AI) has made more shocking revelations that shed light on why the military failed to defend Baga and Monguno from Boko haram attacks.
According to evidence gathered by the rights group, the military headquarters was responsible for the failure of the army to defend Baga and Moguno.
Nigeria's army failed to protect Baga's civilians despite warnings that militants were going to attack, rights group Amnesty International said.
READ ALSO: Nigerian Military Must Improve - US Commander
In a statement made available to The Guardian, Amnesty International’s Africa Director, Netsanet Belay, explained that commanders at the military base in Baga regularly informed the military headquarters in November and December last year of the threat of a Boko Haram attack, requesting reinforcements a good number of times.
Amnesty quotes an unnamed senior army source as saying the Islamist militants told residents about the offensive.
But the defence spokesman told the BBC there had been continuous patrols.
AI made it clear that the military command in Monguno had advance warning of the Boko Haram attacks on 25 January. But the military headquarters failed to take adequate action to protect civilians.
Belay said “It is clear from this evidence that Nigeria’s military leadership woefully and repeatedly failed in their duty to protect civilians of Baga and Monguno despite repeated warnings about an impending threat posed by Boko Haram These attacks are an urgent wake-up call for the Nigerian leadership, the African Union and the international community. It is essential to protect hundreds of thousands of civilians in north east Nigeria from Boko Haram’s continued onslaught.”
READ ALSO: PHOTOS: Boko Haram Victims And Destructions
The recent findings by Amnesty International come as the African Union’s Peace and Security Council discuss the likely deployment of a regional force to fight Boko Haram.
However, reacting to the reports, Major General Chris Olukolade has debunked the reports. In his words; "It is not true to say nothing was done."
These revelations by AI, corroborate the accounts of Nigerian solidiers that maladministration by the Army headquarters was hampering their efforts to win the war against Boko Haram.
Source: Legit.ng
