3032 soldiers reject deployment to fight Boko Haram

The soldiers who were pardoned last year for various offences
during the fight against Boko Haram, have all been posted to the North
East to fight Boko Haram. All 3,032 of the soldiers rejected the posting
adding that they were never really pardoned and re-integrated into the
Army, rather, re-sentenced to fight with Boko Haram and endanger
their lives.

The soldiers also claimed that they have been subjected to unimaginable
ill treatment after their pardon. They also said that since they have
been kicked out of the barracks they have not been paid for seven
months hence have been living from hand to mouth.

The Commandant of NASI, Major General Kassim Aldulkareem, informed
them that they have been assigned new riffles and should be ready for
deployment to the fronts on 11 January, 2016.

However, the soldiers complained that they have not been fully re-
instated into the Nigerian Army, because attempts by them to report to
their units were rejected at their bases since they haven't been given
their re-instatement letters.

It was gathered that, they cried, “We are not going! Give us re-
instatement letters! You are sentencing us back to war,” among others.
According to sources, the Commandant hurriedly left when the soldiers
were becoming uncontrollable.
One of the soldiers who spoke to some newsmen said:

“Look at me; I have put in about 28 years of my life serving this

country. I have seen action in Liberia; I have been to Rwanda,

Sudan and even served overseas and we the Nigerian troops did

very well and were decorated in some occasions.

“But, our experience in fighting to save our motherland is too

sad a story for the outside world to know. We are not cowards.

We held on for over four months facing Boko Haram.

“I just want to say that after the Army dismissed about 5,000 of

us, 3032 of us were pardoned last August. Since that time, the

Army Authority has treated us like prisoners of wars.

“We were told to assemble in Jaji on August 17, which we did.

Then on August 19, the General Officer Commander, GOC, of 1st

Infantry Division, Maj. Gen Adeniyi Oyebade gathered us and

without prior noticed moved us to Nigerian Army training Centre,

NATRAC, Kontogora. Some of us found ourselves there in

bathroom slippers. We were just taken straight to the place.

Then, without any additional clothes or uniform, we were

subjected to what was clear punishment, not training for

another three weeks.

“Still in the clothes we came, we were again relocated to 333

artillery Barracks, Njetilo, Maiduguri. We got nothing but

constant insults as cowards. We were there without uniforms no

arms. They just left us there and we were abused and told to

assemble at every two hours through these days for another

three weeks.

“In Jaji, we went through another round of punishment, not

training. Yet, we were not given any letter to show that we are

still serving soldiers.

“So when the Commandant came and said we were going back to

the North East, without clearing our status, we felt we have

been punished enough.” he said.

Vanguard