Service Chiefs with President Buhari. |
The
Igbo Canadian Community Association (ICCA/Umunna) have called on President
Muhamadu Buhari to with immediate effect sack the defense chiefs for their
failure to adequately protect the lives of combatant soldiers deployed to fight
the war against Boko Haram insurgents in the North-East of the country,
describing their performance in the war on terror as dismally embarrassing;
abjectly incompetent and invariably discouraging to officers and soldiers of
the Nigeria Army who are involved in the defense of the country.
The
President of the socio-cultural and political group, Chief Ugochukwu Okoro, in
a statement
issued
in Toronto, Canada by the Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr. Ahaoma Kanu, said
“the recent attack on soldiers and officers of 157 Task Force Battalion, Metele,
Borno State on November 18, this year by the Al Barnawi faction of Boko Haram
of which videos were circulated online is gravely unfortunate, irreprehensible
and totally embarrassing of the armed forces of a country like Nigeria.”
The
ICCA/Umunna said that though they share in the pain and anguish that befell our
heroic and gallant soldiers who paid the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty
and also mourn with the families of the victims of the attack while respecting
loved ones during this period of mourning, it is also expedient and necessary
that questions need to be asked of how such horrendous calamity occurred and
have been happening, stating that the service chiefs should be held responsible
for the failures leading to such tragedy so disastrous for our soldiers.
“We
boldly say that the Minister of Defence Dan Ali Monsur, Chief of Defense Staff
General Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin, Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen. T.Y. Buratai,
Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral IE Ibas and Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal
Sadique Abubakar as well as the Director General of the Directorate for State
Security, Yusuf Magaji Bichi, should be held responsible for such wanton
failures recorded in our armed forced recently.”
“We
have seen videos of the attack purported recorded and being circulated by the
insurgents and it is disheartening to see the superiority of the weaponry on
display used by the terrorist group as compared to those available to our
soldiers. Also, we have also gone through videos made by our soldiers in the
theatre of war complaining of inadequate arms and ammunition to carry out the
ongoing war. They complain of obsolete armoury and weapons, lack of supplies,
non-payment of allowances and even unsteady food supply for soldiers in the
line of defense which is totally unacceptable and deserving of an
investigation.
It
is rather worrisome that despite reports that the Nigeria Army received advance
notice from the insurgents, inadequate preparation, reconnaissance,
intelligence and tactics were not deployed to wade off and prevent the
eventuality from occurring leading us to wonder what the Directorate for
Military Intelligence (DMI) and DSS are doing.”
The
Melete attack left hundreds of soldiers and officer killed with a reported 150
soldiers still missing in action and unaccounted for.
The
ICCA/Umunna also questioned how the insurgents were able to have moved
unhindered into the military formation without being detected nor intercepted.
“Also,
we have learned from reports that Boko Haram fighters disguised in military
fatigues of the Nigeria Army and gained entrance and access to the office of
the Commanding Officer and this begs us to ask:
How
does Boko Haram get their supplies?
Doesn’t
the NA have channels in communication of movement of troops to its bases?
How
come despite alleged warnings by Boko Haram nothing was done to consolidate the
defense of the base?
What
response and support did the Nigeria Air force give during the period the
attack lasted?”
“It
is sad to note that the service chiefs are incompetently handling this war on
terror that, according to media reports, officers and soldiers are being killed
in the most gruesome of manner with records of soldiers and officers now
showing symptoms of Post traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) with some committing
suicide. This is a development that is very regrettable,” Okoro said.
ICCA/Umunna
frowned at the attitude of the service chiefs who have lately become so visibly
involved in partisan politics and alleged production of election campaign
materials.
“It
is unfortunate that rather than be involved in prosecuting the ongoing war on
terror and gainfully deploy tactics and strategies to prevent needless
slaughter of our soldiers, the service chiefs are shamelessly attending
political rallies and hobnobbing with politicians and only come for photo-ops
when tragedy occurs.”
“It
is tragic and condemnable that the present crop of service chiefs who are
supposed to have been retired and made space for more capable officers to take
over are only known for giving orders for the army to unleash mayhem on
innocent and armless Nigerian protesters who are killed and fired at with live
bullets when they are peacefully exercising their constitutional rights of
expression as was seen recently when the army killed several Shiite members of
the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) in Abuja as well as harassing and killing
members of the Indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB), the most recent happening at
Nnewi, Anambra State.”
Finally,
ICCA/Umunna called on Buhari to shun nepotism and his tendency to always give
appointment to a section of the country but look inwards to select competent
men and officers in the armed forces to get a final solution to the war on
terror in Nigeria.
“President
Buhari should for once look at competence in appointing capable officers that
will turn around the narrative in this war and bring the pride of the Nigeria
Armed Forces back. We also want the military authorities to know that
threatening to deal with Nigerians who are criticizing the killing of Nigeria
soldiers is very unnecessary as Nigerians are patriotic and supportive of their
soldiers despite acts of oppression and suppression they unleash on them on
orders from above. They should rather do what they are supposed to do and they
will see the accolades Nigerians both at home and in Diaspora will pour on
them.”
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