The Nigerian military has accused Niger’s Defence Ministry of aiding Boko Haram activities in the country by supplying the terror group with mercenaries.
In a series of tweets on Thursday, Nigeria’s Director of Defence Information, Maj.-Gen. Chris Olukolade, described soldiers from the neighbouring country as looters who collaborate with terrorists “as a way of surviving the poverty in their country.”
The military spokesperson was reacting to a comment credited to Niger’s Defence Ministry, suggesting that Nigeria’s troops are cowards.
In one of the tweets, Olukolade said, “Welcome our friends from Niger. No way for your infamous looting here. How the poor country compensates its soldiers and claim they don’t run. Our soldiers have been defending our people and nation’s wealth from mercenaries supplied to Boko Haram by those who boast that they don’t run.”
Olukolade criticised the comment made in a statement signed by Niger’s Defence Minister, Mahamadou Karidjo, which said, “Our soldiers are not like Nigerians. They don’t run.”
Olukolade said, Nigerian soldiers are “brave” and “patriotic”, adding that it was unacceptable for a foreign government to accuse them of running away from duty.
Olukolade’s tweets read, “Our soldiers have remained professional and sacrificial in protecting their fellow Nigerians, preserving the nation’s assets despite these jeering, insults and ill wishes from within or without Nigeria, the Nigerian soldier has not and will not be deterred.
“He remains the gallant, brave and patriotic Nigerian soldier. Although these battles continue and others are now joining him, never mind, very soon, it will be victory for Nigeria.
“The Nigerian Military remains a great asset and the envy of other nations.
“The Nigerien Defence Ministry’s irresponsible comment is noted. It is sad a few partisan elements join the poor country to insult our troops.
“We don’t cross our boundaries. It is unacceptable for any foreign government to say our soldiers run. This is your Motherland! Defend her!
“Poor Niger! Treacherous ones among us accorded them effrontery to insult our troops to gain bad press. Don’t compromise your Patriotism!”
At least, 750 Nigerien soldiers are among the 7,500 regional joint force currently fighting against the Boko Haram insurgents.
The leader of the Boko Haram terror group, Abubakar Shekau, had in a 36 minutes video released via Youtube, in January 2015, described Nigerian soldiers as cowards.
He said, “Your army kept deceiving the world that you can’t fight us because you have no arms. Liars! You have all that it takes; you are just coward soldiers. You forgot that it is God that arms.
“Is it not amazing that we, who started with sticks and machetes, are today the biggest headache to the almighty Nigerian soldiers? What a shame!!”
In the video, a turbaned member of the group, who was with a camera, boasted about its collection of ammunition.
He said, “All these arms and ammunition you see in their thousands are gotten from Baga. As you can see, we have thousands of AK 47 rifles; we have so much that we are still conveying them to our camp here.
“We have AA, we have different kinds of them that can be mounted on vehicles. We have Shell Car; we have RPGs; we have mag and so on. We cannot just mention them. We have dozens of vehicles and thanks to God that has given us.”
However, a Nigerien journalist, Patrouillle Fan MaliI, described his experience with the Nigerian military as great, as reported by Nigerien online newspaper, nigerdiaspora.net.
Malil said he stayed with the Nigerian soldiers deployed in his locality in the war against the Boko Haram terrorist group in North-Eastern Mali.
He said, “Kudos to you, Nigerian soldiers deployed in Gao and Ansongo! Good luck for the fulfilment of your mission to restore the territorial integrity of Mali and population security!
“For your remarkable work, done with professionalism and bravery, you honour our country, Niger Republic appreciates you. Certainly, this is what I saw, but I know also elsewhere, you do your assignments professionally and live in harmony with the people you keep safe.”
Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday promised that the nation’s security forces would completely wipe out members of the violent Boko Haram sect from Adamawa and Yobe states before the March 28 and April 11 rescheduled dates of general elections.
He also promised that in the case of Borno State, at least 70 per cent of the state would be recovered before the elections.
Jonathan made the promise during a cocktail he organised for members of the diplomatic corps at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He said the security forces would carry out the operation in order to ensure that elections hold in the three affected states.
He said, “This period will give them (security forces) the opportunity to clean up the three states. If at all they cannot clean up the three states, at least two states will be recovered completely and more local governments even from the remaining state so that elections could be conducted even in Borno State.
“Even if we don’t take over all the territories in Borno State, definitely in Adamawa and Yobe states, we will take over completely. Even if we don’t take over Borno State, the headquarters of Boko Haram, completely, at least 70 per cent of that state will be free for elections to be conducted.
“This is because democracy can only be meaningful if people are allowed to select who rules them.”
Jonathan boasted that his administration would defeat insurgency the same way it defeated the Ebola Virus Disease.
He said the whole world would see his administration’s achievement in that area very soon.
The President said his administration recognised the real threats terrorism poses to the nation’s development and national security.
He said insurgency had become the biggest manifestation of terrorism not only in Nigeria but also in the region.
He said the activities of the sect had further shown that no single country could effectively tackle terrorism and insurgency alone.
He explained that that was why the Federal Government is collaborating with neighbouring countries, sub-regional allies and other partners beyond the region to deal with what he described as mortal challenge to Nigeria’s security and development.
‘We are already beginning to turn the trend. Let me reassure you very clearly that we will surely win the war against Boko Haram. We are moving faster now, in the next few weeks the whole world will know that we are totally committed and that we are in position to save our people,” he declared.
On the rescheduled elections, the President insisted that it was a decision taken in the best interest of the country.
He said it was a potential security threat to have gone ahead with the elections on the earlier scheduled dates with about only 30 per cent of people having Permanent Voter Cards.
The President restated his position that poll shift would not affect the May 29 handover date.
He added, “Let me use this platform to clarify this issue, that the adjustment is within the constitution and not just the electoral law.
“Elections will be conducted as scheduled by the electoral body on March 28 and April 11.
“On May 29 this year, the President will be inaugurated. You should convey this to your countries.”
Jonathan said apart from insurgency, there were other security issues that were noticed during the period of campaigns which if not properly handled, the country might go up in flames
Meanwhile, at least 21 people were killed in two separate Boko Haram attacks on villages near the key city of Maiduguri in North-East Nigeria, a community leader and a witness said on Friday.
“They killed 12 people in Akida village and nine others in Mbuta village during a raid,” community leader, Mustapha Abbagini, told Agence France Presse.
A witness to the attack in Mbuta gave the same death toll while both said that the insurgents destroyed shops and homes in the raids, which happened on Thursday morning.
The Boko Haram Islamic sect also attacked a village in Chad on Friday, the first known lethal attack in the country, which killed several people including a local chief, according to residents and security forces.
The fighters arrived by motorised canoe at the fishing village of Ngouboua on the shores of Lake Chad early in the morning, setting houses ablaze and attacking a police station before being driven back by the army.
“Over here, one of my neighbour’s throat was slit. Over there, a woman burned to death inside her house,” a local mechanic who gave his name as Mallaye told Reuters.
Among those present in Ngouboua, located about 20 km (12 miles) east of the Nigerian border, were thousands of refugees who fled there in early January after an attack on the Nigerian town of Baga.
Niger Republic and Chad had last week signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Nigeria in its fight against the militant group and had also sent about 7,500 troops to support the mission.
In a related development, one of the prominent issues discussed at the meeting of the Economic Community of Central African States during the week in Yaounde, Cameroon was how military support would be offered to assist Nigeria’s fight against Boko Haram, according to a French newspaper based in Cameroon, camer.be.
It was learnt that the 10-member organisation, led by a Chadian, Nassour Guelendouksia Ouaido, considered the gesture as its member, Cameroon, is affected by the insurgents’ activities.
The outcome of the meeting, which was concluded on Friday, had yet to be made public.
BY OLALEKAN ADETAYO, GBENRO ADEOYE AND JESUSEGUN ALAGBE
