Wives of army personnel in Borno State have protested against the movement of their husbands from  Maiduguri barracks to an upgraded army formation in the state. The women, who gathered at the 21 Armoured Brigade (Giwa Barracks) in Maiduguri yesterday morning for the peaceful demonstration, said the planned movement of their spouses and their families from the barracks to troubled Bama town in central Borno would not augur well for them, citing poor security network and lack of adequate weapons at the newly upgraded barracks at Bama as reasons for their unwillingness to move there.
“Bama barracks is not safe for us. We understand the duty and oath of allegiance of our husbands as soldiers, but the authorities should also understand that we’re human being. Bama will expose our children to security challenges.
“Unfortunately, they don’t even have adequate weapons to do their job well for now and there is no proper security at the Bama Barracks yet.
“We won’t forget the Boko Haram attack on Giwa Barracks last time in a hurry and what they did in Bama. The authorities should please help us,” one of the protesting women said.
They recalled the attack on Giwa barracks in early March, alleging that some soldiers lost their lives during the attack because of poor weapons.
They called on the authorities not to move the soldiers to Bama until adequate facilities and security measures were put in place in the area.
The movement of the troops, according to a military source, was part of the military expansion of its presence in the state for effective coordination of its counter-terrorism operations in the northeast states, especially after the establishment of the 7 Division of the Nigerian Army. Daily Sun learnt that already, some personnel of the brigade have been moved to the Bama Tank Battalion.

Soldiers’ wives protest movement of spouses in Borno