Dozens of women and children Saturday forcefully stopped military trucks from ferrying their husbands and fathers to the Boko Haram-seized Gwosa by locking the exit gates of a barracks in Borno State, demanding quality fighting equipment for the soldiers.
Scores of soldiers have been killed by Boko Haram in Borno State in the last few months, and many blame the inferior weapons Nigerian troops are equipped with to fight brutal insurgents.
Reports say nearly 60 soldiers were killed last Wednesday in Gwosa, taken over by Boko Haram after hundreds of heavily-armed militants swooped on the border town. After locking the gates Saturday, the women and children placed themselves as wedges before the trucks that were to drive out of Giwa Barracks of the 21 armoured brigade Maiduguri, witnesses said. “We don’t want to be turned another set of widows, give our husbands modern and better arms, weapons and vehicles or they go nowhere!” one woman was quoted by a source as saying.
The reaction came after nearly 60 soldiers killed in Gwoza and Damboa- both in Borno State- we given a mass burial at the Maimalari Barracks Maiduguri. The military authority at the 7-Division of the Nigeria Army received a mandate to send more troops to rescue Gwoza.
Efforts to stop the women from protesting failed as they stood their grounds all day, demanding that the General Officer Commanding, GOC, of the brigade, address them. After defying all entreaties, the women turned on the barracks’ Regiment Sergeant Major and the Garrison Commander, and almost lynched them for trying to prevent the stand out, witnesses at the barracks told newmen.
The women and children also blockaded the roads leading to the barracks with stones and sticks, while some sat in front of the barracks’ gate. Some soldiers at the barracks said they were in support of the action. One soldier told journalists that “we are ever ready to tackle Boko Haram terrorists but our superior officers are the ones killing us by not giving us the right arms to execute the war”.
“How could I go and face Boko Haram with AK47 that is charged with only three cartridges when the enemy is brandishing modern GPMG, AA, RPG and so on,” he asked.
“Most of our soldiers die every day like fowls because of faulty deployment and yet when you complain they only tell you to obey the last order”.
Another soldier said “we are being pushed to death because we usually run out of ammunition or our weapons would fail us during an operation, while the Boko Haram who came fully kitted with better arms and extra supplies would continue to pick on us like insects. Another soldier said: “We are ready to finish Boko Haram in one week because we have the courage to do that if we are given the right arms and ammunition”. With the sit in lasting al through Saturday, the hope of Gwoza people trapped up in the mountains diminished amid reports or some dying of hunger and thirst as at Saturday evening. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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How I pray that this cry of our courageous soldiers be heeded to because the top officers don't give a dam about their welfare and how to equip them with necessary tools to combat this Menes called boko haram and yet they expect to see results, when the enemies are better armed. I just pray that God will touch the heart of those top officers that they should do what they know is right, and stop putting the lives of our innocents soldiers at risk. I pray in JESUS NAME AMEN.
ReplyDeleteThe problem with our army is that most of the commanding officers are guys that enter the army through short service after getting note from influential Nigerians. Bcos they are not well trained in the art of warfare, they mis-direct and cause the death of our soldiers enmasse while they themselves hide behind to write report on the massacre. What has ministry of defence been doing with allocations over the years? Even our Police requires better rifles than AK 47 cos armed robbers now carry more sophisticated weapon and yet you ask soldiers to go and fight with BH who are dangerously equipped with world class weapons.
ReplyDeleteWhile we continue to grapple with arming the soldiers better, cant we close the borders from where BH import their arms? This way, our solders have a less formidable force to fight. The Customs has a role to play here. The arms and ammo BH uses are definitely not from this country.
ReplyDeleteThe first war we need to win is against corruption. The rest of our problems will be 'piece of cake'
DeleteFinally, the real truth is out!. Where are those putting sentiments in all we are doing in Nigeria? Patriotic Nigerians must read past news about poorly armed of our bold men and women of armed forces.
ReplyDeleteOur politicians today have no courage to investigate those big boss for nothing in the army because politicians are afraid of being flushed out of offices and send them back home by the military. Shameless senior officers will never resign as their honorable colleagues do where there is accountability.
Since the family members of the army cried out now, Nigerians will know it is neither APC nor any other opponents of PDP that are creating lies against corrupt people. How many widows are suffering now in silence after the bread winner had been killed facing BH with dilapidated weapons?
(Arise O Compatriots - Pt 1) What is happening in our Military Barracks of recent is unprecedented in the annals of our history and portends the dangers that lies ahead if Nigerians still have the belief and confidence that we can always rely on our Military as our last line of defense for protection. There is no smoke without fire as the saying goes and this is true when a few months ago, Nigerians were shocked and taken aback by the news of a mutiny within its ranks when soldiers were protesting against the lack of leadership and poor judgment from their Commanding Officer (Their GOC) which lead to firing of shots at their CO as a result of lingering grudges and resentment of how they were commanded (Forced) against a better judgment that led to the massacre of tens of their colleagues in an arm bush set by Boko Haram. Again we are hearing of the wives of our gallant solders protesting the lack of effective kits and equipment for their husband and bread winners as they are again sent to the battle front against a better motivated and heavily armed insurgent. There is FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN for all of us if the families of our soldiers do not have confidence in Govt for securing the return of their husbands safely. (These soldiers would have confided in their families the enormity and the dangers of going to war not well prepared in matching the enemies with the same amount of fire power). This is a RED FLAG for a Nigerians and foe a Govt that is desirous of making its armed forces attractive for continuous enlistment for new recruits.
ReplyDeleteThe forces in Govt deliberately do not want to kit our soldiers properly because they are the direct beneficiaries of this current situation as the continued hostility and volatile nature in the entire north will always result in more money for security votes running into $Billions and keep coming. This insurgency is now a good excuse for the Security Chiefs and the inner caucus of the Govt to hold the country to ransom and demand more money to fight BH with little or no result to show for it and hence a profitable business for them. Remember Security Votes do not need you to produce any receipt on how you have spent the money and you can see from the way our Soldiers are denied the needed provision of adequate weapons and kits to combat this insurgency and end it once and for all (many of them have said it openly that if properly kitted and provided with the needed intelligence and support from their Military Chiefs they will end Bokom Haram in just few Months), but that will mean the end of business for the army Chiefs and their collaborators who will not want their Golden source of new income (Blood Money) to stop by ending the Boko Haram menace.
(Arise O Compatriots Pt.- 2): Nigerians need to open their eyes and understand the real reason the Military/Govt have shown very luster attitude toward taking a strong stance to end this problem once and for all but will muster all in their arsenal to ensure the so called state election security (The Nigerian Military on the other hand have shown leadership and great professionalism when sent on international military mission in other countries where they have defeated rebels and insurgents with precision in record time) how then can we explain the reverse in our own country if not for personal gains ( financially and politically). We all remember the revelation of General (late) Andrew Azazi who said the ruling party (Including President Jonathan inner cabinet aptly collaborated by the President himself that BH are in his cabinet) are the ones behind Boko Haram (the man died in a mysterious and yet to be explained air crash) but Nigerians choose to still pretend that everything is normal.
ReplyDeleteIts high time GEJ's govt stop chasing shadows and look inwards to make the bold decision and stop all those beneficiary of the current security situation by changing strategy if it hopes to end this problem. As the saying goes you cannot hope to achieve a different result if you continue to apply the same effort. Change is what we need from top to bottom in strategy, planning and thinking else we continue to chase our tail in circle and fight among ourselves that it is a religious or ethnic problem while the real beneficiaries are stuffing their bank account with the security votes.
IT HAS NEVER BEEN SO BAD LIKE THIS and we must all rise up and reject the evil machinations of the demons in power least we all get consumed by its inferno.
U re right man,but only d wise can understand or agree wit u.
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