Amnesty, military argue over Baga, Monguno

Posted by: Yusuf Alli, Abuja

 Nigeria’s military failed to protect civilians despite being warned of impending Boko Haram attacks on two northeastern towns, Amnesty International (AI) said yesterday.

Boko Haram militants warned residents of Baga “almost two months ago” that they would come there to attack troops and local militias before their Jan. 3 raid on the town, the London-based group said in a statement, citing an unidentified military official.

Boko Haram told locals the next target would be Monguno and the military was informed, Amnesty said. Boko Haram captured Monguno, 35 miles (56 kilometers) south of Baga, on Sunday, according to militia member Hassan Ibrahim.

“It is clear from this evidence that Nigeria’s military leadership woefully and repeatedly failed in their duty to protect civilians of Baga and Monguno despite repeated warnings about an impending threat posed by Boko Haram,” Netsanet Belay, Amnesty’s Africa director, said in the statement. “These attacks are an urgent wake-up call for the Nigerian leadership, the African Union and the international community.”

But the military yesterday denied being complicit or derelict in its duties.

Boko Haram has escalated its violent campaign to impose Shariah, killing more than 4,700 people last year, double the figure in 2013, risk consultancy Verisk Maplecroft estimates. As it attacked Monguno on Sunday, it also made a failed attempt to take Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state.

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) faulted allegations by the AI that it ignored intelligence reports on Boko Haram attacks on Monguno, Konduga and Maiduguri.

It said the AI’s allegations were misleading and distracting.

In a statement by the Director Defence Information, Major General Chris Olukolade,

the military said it had always maintained the “highest form of alertness”.

The statement said: “Being an area of operation where terrorists are known to be ever looking for the slightest opportunity to attack and perpetrate heinous atrocities, Nigerian troops are conversant with the need to maintain the highest form of alertness always.

“Every available information is factored into the intelligence that drives every engagement or encounter in any part of the mission area. This standard has not only been sustained but has been incrementally enhanced in terms of capacity, troops deployment, coordination, troops mobility and protection as well as logistics.