Tag Archives: Nigerian Soldiers

At Least 105 Nigerian Soldiers, Commanding Officer Feared Missing After Fierce Gun Battle With Boko Haram- Report

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Premium Times reports that at least 105 soldiers of the 157 Battalion, including their commanding officer, are feared missing after they came under intense attack from Boko Haram insurgents at Gudunbali, Borno State, on Wednesday, military sources say.

According to one of our sources, the terrorists also captured a T-72 tank as well as several artillery weapons from the unit.

“Gudunbali was attacked this morning and some weapons were captured from the battalion. Two officers and 105 soldiers are still missing,” our source said.

“They captured a T-72 tank from the unit and some artillery weapons were also captured. The commanding Officer (CO) of the battalion is yet to be seen but no one has been confirmed dead yet,” the source added.

Another source however said the T-72 tank was recovered after a prolonged fight with Boko Haram insurgents. The gunner and tank commander were injured in the process, he said.

Also reportedly captured by the insurgents were eight vehicles, a truck loaded with 60,000 rounds of AA ammunition and three artillery pieces.

Similarly, soldiers of the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) stationed at Baga, Borno State also recently came under attack. The attack occurred in Geringiwa at about four kilometres to the headquarters of MNJTF.

According to a source, the military has been unable to completely clear the insurgents from Baga and nearby towns due to inadequate equipment.

Source explained that the equipment recently provided by the military hierarchy were inadequate and were not enough to go round to all units involved in the war against the insurgents.

Credit: PremiumTimes

Army Chief Announces Promotion for Soldiers Fighting Boko Haram

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The Nigerian Army on Wednesday announced a special promotion for all soldiers involved in liberating Baga in Borno from Boko Haram insurgents.

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah, announced the promotion while addressing the soldiers during an official visit to Baga in Kukawa Local Government Area.

Minimah said the promotion was to reward the soldiers for their gallant effort in flushing out the insurgents. He added that soldiers who died in the battle with the insurgents would also be promoted posthumously. “The entire country is singing praises of Nigerian soldiers for the bravery exhibited in the fight against the insurgents.

“I urge you to keep the tempo by striving hard to record more successes’’, Minimah said. He expressed optimism that insurgency would end in the next couple of weeks. Never again will Nigerians suffer this kind of large scale destruction in the name of insurgency’’, Minimah said.

He said his visit was aimed at boosting the soldiers’ morale and building more confidence in them. “The war is almost ended, we will liberate Dikwa, Bama, Gwoza, Marte and other places in a few days time’’, Minimah said. He advised Nigerians to support the military in its quest to end the insurgency.

Credit: NAN

Nigeria To Recall Troops On Foreign Missions To Fight Boko Haram

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Nigeria is considering recalling its soldiers on peacekeeping missions in foreign countries following the need for “troops surge’’ in operational areas in the North-East. Mike Omeri, the Coordinator, National Information Centre, stated this on Thursday in Abuja at a news conference.

The coordinator explained that this was one of the positions of the country at a meeting held between it and some African countries on January 20 in Niamey, Niger Republic. He did not mention the countries involved but said the meeting was necessitated by the “collapse’’ of Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) set up to fight the Boko Haram sect.

Omeri said the sole aim of that meeting was to seek the authorisation from the UN Security Council through the AU to establish a more effective multinational force to confront the insurgents. He said the country’s other positions at that meeting was that Nigeria and her neighbours needed to improve on the effective management of their borders.

Read More: ekekeee.com

 

Tribute to our Nation’s Heroes – Fahad Garba Aliyu

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Nigeria is famously renowned (unfortunately so) as a country where we celebrate and shower accolades, honorary doctorate degrees, and national honors on the totally undeserving. A nation where we immortalize the same group of people that put us in the mess we are in today. We revere and worship those highly placed in society and subconsciously consider them to be our heroes. But are they truly the heroes of our beloved nation?

The answer is simple. The real and true heroes of our nation are the brave men and women that put themselves in harm’s way everyday for our sake. However, we do not celebrate and honor them enough as a nation; so I would like to use this medium to do just that.

 The insurgency in Nigeria has claimed thousands of innocent lives, destroyed cities and is threatening the unity of our nation. The insurgents do as they please and the government, politicians and we, the citizens, play the blame game on who is responsible and who sponsors the terrorists, instead of gearing our efforts towards finding a lasting solution. Among all the madness and imprudence going on, the brave military personnel are in the frontlines battling to defend and protect us.

I want use this opportunity to thank the courageous military men and women for fighting to protect our country’s future and unity everyday. We honor and salute you for securing our future and the future of generations to come.

On December 17th 2014 we lost a hero in Major SK Umaru during a battle with Boko Haram. He was my Camp Commandant when I was doing my NYSC in 2010 at Jigawa State. I had not maintained contact with him since leaving camp but I remember clearly how kind-hearted and approachable he was. He was always smiling and trying to get to know us as friends even though he was the Camp Commandant. Major SK Umaru, you are gone but will never be forgotten.

 I believe as Nigerians, we have been de-sensitized to a dangerous level. I can’t start to imagine what it feels like knowing your loved ones are in harm’s way for our country, knowing fully well that they can be killed anytime in the line of duty. To the heroes we lost and the families that have lost a loved one in line of duty for our country; we appreciate and applaud the sacrifice you have made for our dear nation.

Accordingly, we remember Major SK Umaru, Captain Kenneth Onubah, Lieutenant Shitu Kyom Leo, Lance Corporal David Usman, Major Samuel Jega, Major Abdullahi Kanoma, Staff Sergeant Keku Adebayo, Corporal Ahmed Usman, Corporal Matthew Ade, Lance Corporal Adamu Ibrahim, Lance Corporal Suleiman Gimba, Lance Corporal Saduaki Salisu, Lance Corporal Olusola Ajani, Wing Commander Chimda Hedima, Colonel Kabiru Salisu and others we lost. I pray Almighty Allah have mercy on their souls and may He give their families the fortitude to bear the loss (rest assured its not a personal loss but a nation’s loss).

“They are dead; but they live in each Patriot’s breast, And their names are engraved on honor’s bright crest.” —Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

To those still serving and their families, our gratitude and admiration of your courage and bravery knows no bound. We say a big thank you for your continuous sacrifice to our fatherland. Those that have served us well and are retired now; we thank you for your service and role you played in keep our country united and free.

How often do we appreciate what our men and women in uniform are doing to secure our lives and properties? The sacrifices they make so that Nigeria will remain one, indivisible country. It’s about time we start recognising these gallant soldiers. Next time you see a soldier, tell him/her THANK YOU

As we get into the final week of the year, I want to wish my fellow countrymen a happy holiday season of joy, peace and continuous progress. May the New Year be better than 2014 for our nation.

 

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

 

Fahad Garba Aliyu @fahadaliyu

Views expressed are solely that of the author and do not represent the views of Omojuwa.com nor its associates

 

Halt The Genocidal Elimination Of Nigerian Soldiers – Femi Falana

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Yesterday, the General Court-Martial sitting in Abuja which tried another batch of 59 soldiers for conspiracy to mutiny and mutiny convicted 54 of the accused persons and sentenced them to death while 5 were discharged and acquitted. The acquittal was designed to give the false impression that the dubious verdict was fair and just. The soldiers were in the SF 111 Battalion which has 174 instead of 750 soldiers. The soldiers in the Battalion were neither equipped nor motivated. They are young men whose ages range between 21 and 25. Most of them joined the army in 2012.

With little or no training whatsoever they were deployed to fight the dreaded Boko Haram sect. The funds allocated for payment of the salaries and allowances of the soldiers and for purchase of arms and ammunition are usually diverted and cornered by corrupt military officers. Instead of bringing such unpatriotic officers to book the military authorities have engaged in the diversionary tactics of wasting the lives of innocent soldiers by sentencing them to death without any legal justification.

On July 9, 2014 the Boko Haram sect launched a ferocious attack on the Battalion. As the soldiers were ill-equipped and ill-motivated the well armed terrorists killed 3 officers and 23 soldiers and inflicted serious injuries on 82 others. While sympathizing with the bereaved soldiers the army authorities assured them that adequate weapons would be provided to match the sophisticated weapons of the Boko Haram sect. But without the provision of the said weapons the soldiers were ordered on August 4, 2014 to recapture Delwa, Balubulin and Damboa in Borno State from the Boko Haram terrorists. The soldiers demanded for weapons so as not to lose more officers and men in the circumstance. A few soldiers who embarked on the suicidal mission together with the Commanding Officer were ambushed by the Boko Haram troops.

When some weapons were made available on August 8, 2014, the soldiers moved to the battlefront, dislodged the satanic Boko Haram sect and liberated their captured colleagues and officers. They were commended for their bravery and sacrifice. But for some inexplicable reasons, the army authorities ordered that the soldiers be charged with mutiny for allegedly exposing the armed forces to embarrassment by asking for weapons! Thus, 60 soldiers were charged before the court-martial led by Brigadier-General M. Yusuf. The charge was however withdrawn against one of them on health ground. When the trial commenced against the remaining 59 the court-martial allowed defense correspondents and reporters to cover the proceedings. But the revealing testimonies of the prosecution witnesses embarrassed the army authorities.

In particular, the defence  pointed out that by not providing the soldiers with adequate weapons the Federal Government had violated Section 217 (2) (b) of the Constitution which provides that the Federation shall, subject to an Act of the National Assembly made in that behalf, equip and maintain the armed forces as may be considered adequate and effective for the purpose of maintaining its territorial integrity and securing its borders from violation on land, sea or air.

It is public knowledge that it was when the trial of the soldiers was in progress that the President and Commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, sought and obtained the approval of the National Assembly for a loan of USD$1 billion to purchase equipment for the prosecution of the war on terror. Up till now, the loan has not been utilized for the purchase of weapons!

It was on the basis of such revelation that the court-martial resorted to sitting in camera and prohibited the media from further reporting the proceedings. In the judgment delivered yesterday the court-martial refused to consider the evidence led in court and convicted 54 of the soldiers for having the temerity to ask for weapons to carry out the task of defending the territorial integrity of the nation. Since the soldiers were justified in refusing to commit suicide the verdict which is characterized by gross miscarriage of justice will not stand. Apart from the fact that the Prosecution did not lead any scintilla of evidence to prove the 2-count charge of conspiracy and mutiny against any of the convicts the Court-martial did not consider the defence of the soldiers in any material particular.

Convinced that soldiers who made a legitimate demand for equipment to fight the insurgents cannot, by any stretch of imagination, be properly convicted for mutiny we shall take all necessary legal measures to prevent the army authorities from giving effect to the genocidal verdict of the court-martial. We submit that the oath of allegiance taken by the accused soldiers is not a license to commit suicide. It is a solemn undertaking to defend the nation based on the expectation that the Federal Government would have complied with Section 217 of the Constitution on the mandatory requirement to equip the armed forces adequately. It is important to state that when equipment was made available on 18  August 2014, the accused soldiers fought gallantly.

Femi Falana SAN.

Credit: Sahara Reporters

Five More Soldiers Arraigned For Mutiny

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Army authorities again arraigned five more soldiers before a General Court Martial for mutiny at the Abacha Barracks in Abuja on Tuesday.

The soldiers were said to have pleaded not guilty to the two counts of mutiny and conspiracy to commit mutiny.

The accused are Lance Corporals Bankole Taiwo, Ayodele Olawale, Sule Ochehepo, Isaiah Olofu and Adebayo Gbenga.

They all belong to the 81 Battalion of the 7 Division of the Nigerian Army.

They were accused of conspiring to incite other personnel of 81 Battalion to commit mutiny at Gubio Base Camp, Maiduguri, on September 13 and 14, 2014.

They were also said to have, on the same days and location, fired sporadically, abandoned their weapons and made instigating comments and acted in ways intended to incite soldiers of 81 Battalion to mutiny.

Read more at http://www.punchng.com/news/military-arraigns-five-more-soldiers-for-mutiny/

EU Rejects Death Sentence for Mutinied Soldiers

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The European Union (EU), in a statement issued on Thursday,  has rejected the death sentence handed to 12 Nigerian soldiers by the General Court Martial in Nigeria for alleged mutiny.

The union, headed by Secretary-General, Mr. Thorbjørn Jagland, argued that execution had stopped in that region of the world for close to two decades

The statement says, “On the European and World Day against the Death Penalty, the European Union and the Council of Europe reaffirm their strong and absolute opposition to capital punishment in all cases and under all circumstances, and their commitment to its worldwide abolition.We are deeply concerned about setbacks in some countries, such as recent mass trials leading to a vast number of death sentences. No execution has taken place in our member states in the last 17 years. The European Union and the Council of Europe welcome the fact that all Member States of the European Union have now ratified both Protocols 6 and 13 to the European Convention on Human Rights, and urge all other European States that have not yet done so to sign and ratify these instruments which aim at the abolition of the death penalty.”

 

Nigerian Soldiers Guilty of Mutiny, Sentenced to Death

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Some Nigerian soldiers who have been accused of revolting orders to travel on a frequently attacked by Boko Haram, have been sentenced to death. This decision was announced early Tuesday by Brigadier General Chukwuemeka Okonkwo, 12 soldiers were found guilty and five others won acquittal.

The sentence, to be carried out by the firing squad, was delivered for both mutiny and the servicemen’s attempted murder of their commanding officer. All the defendants denied the charges.

A convoy of the soldiers had earlier been ordered to drive at night on a road from the northeastern town of Chibok, which is frequently attacked by militants. The soldiers initially refused, but eventually went along and were ambushed on May 13 by militants, an unknown number of them getting killed. Following the incident, the soldiers mutinied.

Manpower Vs Armoury: Tale of the Nigerian Soldier – Omojuwa.com’s Dinah Adams Engaged Nigerian Soldiers

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A farmer to the farm without a hoe probably has no intention of tilling the earth. Words about how our Soldiers have been conditioned to battle boko haram without decent armoury has hovered enough and is ready for thrashing.

Note that the words, “Nigerian Soldiers” here will always begin with capital letters, which is a glimpse for the reader to understand the high pedestal of honour rendered, on which these men are beheld.

And that should start it; of course they are men with flesh and blood, tears and sweat, emotions and faith. These men however subject themselves to all sorts of inhumane treatment to themselves, all in the name of training to attain the “Soldier” status and experience the alteration of the default man, because the danger does not find them; they find danger.

“Soldiers Love War”, one of them confessed with an excitement that can be likened to the connection between a child to a candy. One would obviously blend into comprehending this statement because we are meant to understand the kinds of training they engage in. One mentioned how his final training deprived him of sleep for three days, in a thick forest and stood the risk of being shot or gunned down by his own counterparts (with real steel bullets).

Point is, these men put their lives on the line even before they march forward to protect their country, which is their primary duty.

Now picture a typical Nigerian house girl who is expected to wash the children’s cloths and dishes without her madam providing her with detergent or any cleaning agent. Madam should be rest assured that these cloths and dishes will enter water, but that does not do the job.

Be reminded of the fact that armoury is not sold in the provision store down the street and no magician has turned a bunny to a rifle yet.

It is thus tremendously and awfully disturbing that these Soldiers are handed with a 60 round ammunition rifle each without steel helmet and fragment jacket. Notice, it is not a bullet proof jacket, but a fragment jacket. Question now is, what happens to the Soldier if he has exhausted his bullets? Here are possible options, use stones, get killed or employ Tai Chi; whichever ways, going home is not among the options, neither is asking for more rounds.

It will disgust you more than interest you to know that, the old school alpha jets given to our Soldiers dates back, even before Shagari’s administration, or maybe the fact that our armoured tanks cannot trail beyond 1 Kilometre without stoppage. And if you have seen any Rocket Propelled Grenade launcher in the possession of the Nigerian Soldiers, it must be the one they seized from boko haram. Our Soldiers weren’t given one or probably never had one.

As if not arming these men is not enough, some of the Soldiers have confirmed the possibility of very highly placed Nigerian citizens who are devoted to snitching our noble Nigerian Soldiers sent out there to the battlefield to protect lives and properties. One revealed that Soldiers had been expecting weapons for over six months and when they eventually arrived, they were seized by insurgents after six major attempts to move them to Maiduguri.

It is horribly annoying to realise that the political interests of some specially insane and unpatriotic people are justifiable enough for them to put the lives of our Nation’s Soldiers in the line. It was a shame to discover that Boko Haram used the T55 (Tank Gun) they seized from the Nigerian Army to attack Bama. We were made to understand that the insurgents employ the sophisticated military strategies and intelligence against our Soldiers; i. e “Platoon- Company- Battalion.

Thus the big question won’t be asking who leaks valuable security information to the insurgents, rather let the questions be skipped and let these snakes be brought to public light and charged with treason and the murder of noble Nigerian Soldiers.

A couple of these Soldiers confessed that they are highly capable of wiping out the persisting insurgency, but the big boys in Defence Headquarters are not willing to allow that happen yet. It was disappointing to realise that some Nigerian citizens made mockery of our Soldiers after reports said they ran into Cameroon to flee from the insurgents. Truth however is, no human born of a woman will stand if he is holding a FN Rifle and his opponent is holding a rocket launcher.

Soldiers revealed that out of a hundred BH troops, 50 of them carry rocket launchers, while some had anti- aircraft guns to fight with.

More so, some of the Nigerian Soldiers said there are no efforts whatsoever put in place to boast their morale. No armoury, no food, 30 thousand monthly payment, betrayal and even denial of Fallen Soldiers by the Government.

Let’s be reminded again that these men are men with flesh and blood, tears and sweat, emotions and faith. Some of them have wives and children and have not felt the warmth of their homes for a long time. These men have shed blood, tears and sweat to protect the lives and properties of other nations’ citizens within Africa and have halted civil wars courageously. They are still shedding blood, tears and sweat to defeat the common enemy of their very own Motherland with insufficient armoury and are persisting amidst betrayal and injustice. Let the story of the Nigerian Soldier be said by the nationals they protect and let it never cease till the armoury matches the manpower of the Nigerian Soldier.

Dinah Adams and Japheth Omojuwa spoke with some soldiers in Abuja. This report was compiled by Dinah Adams