Emergency Rule: Why Soldier Recorded Purported Killing Of Civilians In Military Raids

SoldiersAn unidentified soldier who claims to be a member of the Nigerian Army currently involved in the emergency rule operation in one of the three north-east states, has cited ‘injustice’ as the reason behind his decision to film the alleged massacre of civilians in the offensive against Boko Haram sect members.

The soldier, whose identity was hidden in a report which aired yesterday on international news channel, Aljazeera, said instead of killing the insurgents, the troops were mostly killing civilians although he admits they (civilians) were caught in the crossfire.

“What I saw when I went to the frontline was a lot of dead bodies, almost 3,000…you cannot walk from point A to point B without marching dead bodies – small children, females. So it is our own people we are killing, which is not good,” he was quoted as saying.

He also said more civilians than Boko Haram have died, adding that “at a particular village, there were no more than 30 to 40 Boko Haram fighters, but the civilians could not leave, because Boko Haram did not allow them.”

On why the soldier, who Aljazeera claims has been known to them for years, agreed to record the scenes for the medium, he said “I was doing it because of injustice. “The Boko Haram are being killed, but the casualty of the innocent is more than Boko Haram.”

However, in reaction to the report, which has already been condemned as ‘contrived and misleading’ by the Presidency, Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Chris Olukolade said the alleged soldier may not be a member of the Special Forces and could instead be a collaborator.

He, however, did not rule out the possibility of an investigation of the allegation by the military if it appeared to be true.

“What makes you so sure that that is actually a Nigerian soldier? Could any of the terrorists or one of their collaborators not dress or act the way you saw in the Aljazeera video?  Let them come up with something more reasonable if those terrorist propaganda merchants and their sympatisers who are behind sponsoring this slanted spurious stories want to be taken seriously and it will be investigated,” he said.

2 COMMENTS

  1. The so called soldier is an insurgents.Let him come up with facts not covering himself why the interview was conducted by al-jazeera.Boko haram always used all dis as a set up.Let the citizens of dis affected states expose them after all many of them are there children.I know there is no way in d world where this kind of thing will happen were innocent lives will not be affected,but the soldiers carryout there operations now in a matured way.Most of the affected camps dat was raided down here in Borno state,i wonder if any normal human being can stay in such areas.Any one found in such area should be one of them.As Nigerians we have to start giving the correct informations,in Syria now what is happening now is civilans not affected.The town of Maiduguri is relatively calm now and the same time tensed with the presence of military men.People can now sleep at least with one eye open.Good-luck administration should have taken dis drastic step long ago since he has the constitutional right to impose emergency rule to any part of the country where there is threats of lives & properties or continuous killings.He has endure enough.Let him be brave and face the so called politicians who is sponsoring this idiots to take up arms.If they want there own country,let us break up,lets see who will suffer it most.How many families send there kids to school in d North,people after given birth to children allow them to go through the almajiri’s system.What a shameful life?The kids are been treated in a very hostile environments,house-house begging on daily basis to survive.Babangida,Buhari,Atiku,do something for ur people with the stolen Nigeria wealth.Time is coming when this your Almajiri’s children scattered in Northern states will revolt against u and ur family.May God Almighty keep our brothers & sisters in the military as they root this enemies of our dear country Nigeria.God bless the federal Republic of Nigeria.

  2. Such a support to be soldier is one of the northern elders. Nigeria should take al-jazeera to the international community for promoting boko haram/terrorists. Even the way that guy dressed, never looked like a real Nigerian Army. Please fight on brothers and sisters do not give them an opportunity to re-group, because that is what they want to do.