The Nation Newspaper

Tag: bloodbath

  • Ending the bloodbath

    he deadly attacks of the violent Islamist sect, Boko Haram in the Northeastern part of the country appear to be on an alarming increase from the period Nigeria accepted the offers of assistance from the international community towards rescuing the over 200 schoolgirls abducted by the sect on April 14, 2014 in Chibok, Borno State.

    President Goodluck Jonathan had, while accepting the offer, expressed optimism that the rescue effort will be the beginning of the end of Boko Haram attacks in the country.

    But the sect seems bent on letting all hell loose across the Northeastern part of Nigeria with its deadly attacks now taking place in quick succession and almost on a daily basis since the offer of foreign assistance.

    On Saturday, May 17, the Boko Haram terrorists were said to have killed about 29 people in a market in Ngurosoye Village in Bama Local Government Area of Borno State and abducted 10 Chinese Construction workers in Gwoza.

    Car bomb explosion in Sabon Gari, Kano State on Sunday, May 18 resulted in loss of lives while havoc was averted in the state the following day as a car bomb stationed at Tafawa Balewa Street in the state was defused.

    The terrorists again struck on Tuesday, May 20, which resulted in sending many people to their early graves as twin bombs exploded in Jos, the Plateau State capital.

    Another attack was also carried out by the insurgents the following day near Chibok, Borno State, where the over 200 secondary school girls were abducted by the insurgents.

    The suspected Boko Haram gunmen were said to have shot dead about 29 farmers in Chukku Nguddoa Village in the state.

    The question in the minds of many a Nigeria is whether these attacks were meant to punish the government and the people of the country for accepting foreign assistance? Or are they meant to put pressure on the government to consider exchange of its members in

    government prisons with the school girls? Are the attacks really proving the recent threats by the sect’s leader, Abubakar Shekau that he was within the Abuja City and would cause more havoc in the country or are they desperate attacks of a drowning sect?

    Whichever is the case, everything must now be done to stop the bloodbath across the country. Many Nigerians are now living in fear as they don’t know when and where the next bomb will explode.

    They find it difficult to erase the pictures and images of the latest

    fatal blasts etched in their minds from their memories as they hallucinate and wonder if it is safe to board a bus or a cab around the corner of their streets or

    whether it is safe to go to nearby market for shopping. Nigerians must urgently be saved from this psychological trauma.

    Based on the fact that so much money is being appropriated yearly for security which aims at fighting terrorism in the past few years and with the war appearing to be far from being won, some security experts want the government to re-assess the situation and go for the best options.

    For a start, they believe that if it is going to be difficult to rescue the school girls and crush the sect with the foreign assistance Nigeria is getting, it may be wise now for the government to start thinking seriously of negotiation with the sect to ensure safe release of the girls and to stop the rampant bloodbath in the country.

    Many of those pushing for the exchange or swap believe that the school girls should only be exchanged for the wives and children of the insurgents in detention.

    There are still other Nigerians who believe that the government should, on no account, negotiate with the sect. Some also believe that there should be a way to use the ‘carrot and stick’ approach to quell the insurgency in the country.

    This set of people also wants Nigeria to seriously begin to tackle the problem of its porous borders irrespective of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Borderless protocol.

    To them, Nigeria should borrow a leaf from other countries that have built thick and high wall fence round their countries in combination with other high-tech security gadgets that will detect any illegal immigrant coming into the country.

    The neighbouring countries have not only been used as launching pad to carry out fatal attacks in Nigeria but have also served as routes for illegal importation of arms, ammunition, war tanks and helicopters into Nigeria by the insurgents.

    Many of the leadership in the neighbouring countries seem, over the years, to be waiting for the downfall of the ‘Giant of Africa’ through the actions of the terrorists.

    The leaders of Cameroon, Niger, Republic of Benin, Chad and Nigeria, however, in the region’s security meeting held in France on May 17, have  resolved to end terrorism in the region and to contribute one battalion of troops for joint border patrols each.

    While most Nigerians who have been struggling to make ends meet are waiting anxiously on government to guarantee their safety, it is hoped that the new strategies will end the rising bloodbath in the country.

  • U.N. seeks probe of bloodbath

    U.N. seeks probe of bloodbath

    The United Nations is calling for an independent probe of a mass killing in Baga, Borno State last month. About 200 civilians were reportedly killed when soldiers raided the town.

    U.N. spokesperson Rupert Colville yesterday said the attack has also left scores wounded and displaced.

    Colville said: “We are very concerned about the large number of casualties, including many civilians, and massive destruction of houses and property, and population displacement that’s taken place in the past few weeks in the northeast of the country. According to various sources, around 200 people were killed, at least 70 others injured, and more than 2,000 houses were damaged during raids conducted by Nigerian military in Baga, in Borno State.”

     

  • Still on the bloodbath in Baga, Borno

    In spite of the controversy surrounding the Friday clash between Boko Haram militants and soldiers of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MJTF) in Baga, Borno State, enough is known to lead us to question the attitude of the federal government to the crisis. Though President Goodluck Jonathan has ordered a full-scale investigation, it is disturbing that four days after the clash, there is still no authentic list of casualties. If the Jonathan inquiry is to be relevant, it should grapple with more fundamental questions like the factors that triggered the clash, whether rules of engagement were breached or not, an assessment of the magnitude of force used, and how the militants deployed themselves in Baga.

    There are at least two other very important issues that require the attention of both the government and people of Nigeria. One is the issue of the operations of the MJTF itself. Nigerian military authorities had admitted shortly after the clash that Nigerien and Chadian troops were involved in the Baga operation. It is, therefore, important to probe the MJTF’s operations in order to get answers to the following puzzles: when was the multinational agreement signed, and what are its outlines? When did it take effect, and what has been the experience so far? Does the agreement empower multinational troops to enter one another’s territories? What role did Chadian and Nigerien troops play in the Baga invasion?

    The second issue involves the obnoxious and unacceptable lockdown of Baga after the invasion, thus preventing relief and medical help and supplies from reaching the ravaged town and its deeply traumatised victims. Is that behaviour consistent with the rules of war, especially in domestic crisis? Reports from Borno State indicate that by Tuesday, humanitarian agencies were still struggling to be allowed access into the town to offer succour to distressed residents. The fighting took place last Friday, but four days after, significant help was yet to reach the town. Perhaps the federal government needs to be educated afresh on the purpose of government.

    While it is necessary to ask all these questions and receive answers to them, it must be pointed out that the involvement of Nigerien and Chadian soldiers in the attack, if it is of any significance, does not absolve Nigerian troops of responsibility for extra-judicial killings and deployment of irrational force in the pacification of the town. While the investigation ordered by the government continues, it is important for the National Assembly to also inquire into the clash along the lines itemised above. They will find it imperative to censure the president for his unhelpful public utterances during his belated and angry visit to the twin states of Borno and Yobe. After all, those who used the media to incite the Rwandan genocide were later tried for crimes against humanity.

    The last has not been heard of the Baga battle. But the people and governments of Nigeria, and especially the National Assembly, must ensure that such killings never reoccur. While it may be necessary to use firm measures to combat insurgency, care must be taken to ensure that such measures do not become counterproductive nor aggravate the insurgency in the region. Meanwhile, the JTF should be compelled to allow relief into the town. The state government has a responsibility to urgently take the lead in the provision of that relief if we are not to become a cruel, barbarous and unfeeling people.

     

  • Outrage over bloodbath

    Outrage over bloodbath

    -U.S. condemns Borno massacre

    -Senate: it’s unacceptable

    -ACN, CPC warn against killings

    -North’s elders call for inquiry

     

    THERE was outrage yesterday over the killing of 185 people in Baga, a border community in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State.

    Among those who condemned the wanton destruction of lives and properties were the United States, North’s elders, the National Assembly and political parties.

    Patrick Ventrell, the acting Deputy State Department spokesman, said: “The United States thus condmen the violence that took the lives of so many innocent civilians in Baga, Borno State.”

    The Senate described the killings of hundreds of Nigerians as unacceptable and mandated its Committees on Defence, Police and National Security and Intelligence to investigate the incident.

    It gave the committee members 14 days to table their report before the plenary for consideration.

    The Senate’s decision followed a motion sponsored by Senator Maina Ma’Aji Lawan (Borno North), who was in tears while narrating the damage to his senatorial district by Boko Haram insurgency.

    Northern Elders urged President Jonathan to institute a judicial commission of inquiry into the massacre.

    Its spokesman, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, who led a group of elders to the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) secretariat in Kaduna, said probing the incident alone would not address the problem.

    He blamed the President for allowing the military to take over peace-keeping operations.

    According to him, soldiers are trained for war and not to deal with the civil society.

    Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) spokesman Lai Mohammed warned the military against extra-judicial killings.

    The ACN said: “Without jumping to any conclusion on what really transpired in Baga, we hasten to say that the military, in fighting an asymmetric war against insurgents, must ensure a strict observance of its rules of engagement to avoid the kind of deaths that were recorded in the border town.

    “No matter what defence the military may put forward, the mass deaths and destruction in Baga during the JTF-insurgents’ clash portray the Nigerian military as having little or no respect for human rights and the sanctity of lives. This is not a flattering portrayal for a military that has made its mark in global peacekeeping.”

    The party berated the Federal Government for waiting for almost 48 hours before responding to the situation.

    The House of Representatives echoed the Northern Elders as it called for a commission of inquiry.

    Also yesterday, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) deployed officials to assist in the provision of medical reliefs and aid to the affected people.

    Senator Bukola Saraki described the killings as “gruesome” and demanded for an inquest into the activities of the Joint Task Force (JTF) operating in the area.

    The Military High Command began the auditing of the MJTF deployed in the border town.

    According to the Red Cross, besides the 187 people feared killed, 77 others were injured. More than 300 homes were destroyed. The military said it confirmed 26 deaths.

    The National Coordinator of the service organisation, Mr. Umar Mariaga, told AFP that Red Cross officials were still struggling to reach Baga, where the security situation remains uncertain.

    “We are making efforts to get clearance from the security agents to get in and assist the victims of the violence,” he said.

    A resident, who pleaded to remain anonymous, said much of the town was deserted after the clashes last Friday. He said the confrontation forced thousands to flee the battle grounds.

    “Baga is still under military siege. The town is at a standstill, with little food and water, which has forced even those of us that stayed behind to start leaving,” the resident told AFP

    The military operation in Baga, a town located about 180 kilometres North of Maiduguri, the state capital, left almost 200 dead.

    Reports said the operation was jointly carried out by JTF personnel, in conjunction with troops from Niger and Chad.

    Commander of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MJTF) Brig.-Gen. Austin Edokpaye, who visited the troubled community on Sunday, alleged that insurgents used heavy machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades in the Baga confrontation.

    The MJTF was established by Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger to maintain security at the border areas.

    According to him, the insurgents launched an unprovoked attack on soldiers.

    Gen. Edokpaye, who briefed Governor Kashim Shettima during an assessment tour of Baga on Sunday, said: “We lost an officer during the attack on our men on patrol. We received intelligence that some suspected Boko Haram members usually pray and hide arms at a particular mosque in town. It was around that mosque that our men were attacked with several of them injured and an officer died.

    “When we reinforced and returned to the scene, the terrorists came out with heavy firepower, including (rocket-propelled grenades), which usually has a conflagration effect.”

    There were conflicting figures yesterday on the death toll, with some accounts saying as many as 300 people may have been killed.

    A council official, Lawal Kole, told the governor during the visit that at least 185 bodies were found and buried but residents said the figure was a far-cry. They claimed yesterday that more bodies were recovered from the bush.

    A resident, who spoke on the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Hausa radio said: “We are still searching and waiting for those who got missing… . Anybody who says the number of the dead is not up to 300 he is not a resident of Baga.”

    However, the Defence Headquarters in Abuja said it could confirm the death of only 26 people, including the deceased soldier. The violence broke out when gunmen attacked residents of Baga, forcing security forces to move in after receiving a report, the military said.

    Military authorities said the troops surrounded a mosque belonging to Jama’atu Ahlis Sunnah Lid Da’awati Wal Jihad (Boko Harm) members, who had earlier allegedly killed an officer.

    Hundreds of people have fled the town into neighbouring Chad, Cameroon and Niger.

    Christian clerics yesterday lamented the flow of weapons into the country.

    “We must ask how these weapons reach Nigeria,” said Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama of Jos, the president of the Episcopal Conference, in an apparent reference to the arms used by Boko Haram.

    He said: “While the most sophisticated ones come from abroad, in Nigeria there are clandestine laboratories manufacturing homemade weapons and Improvised Explosive Devices.

    Also reacting to the death toll, Father Evaristus Bassey, the National Director of Caritas Nigeria, said: “Now we even have a higher level of weaponry, much more than what they were using before.”

    The cleric said he was surprised by the clash in light of ongoing amnesty talks.

  • Boko Haram bloodbath: Jonathan orders probe

    Boko Haram bloodbath: Jonathan orders probe

    How 185 died, by residents 

    UN shocked at casualties

     

    With 185 dead in fighting between the Joint Task Force (JTF) and Boko Haram insurgents at the weekend, the crisis may have recorded its biggest casualty this year.

    President Goodluck Jonathan has ordered a probe into the incident.

    Official sources doubted yesterday the figure, which was given by residents of Baga, the scene of the bloodshed in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State.

    UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon voiced shock and sadness at the blodbath.

    “The Secretary-General reiterates his firm conviction that no objective sought can justify this resort to violence,” Mr. Ban’s spokesperson said in a statement.

    “He expresses his condolences to the bereaved families and calls on all extremist groups to cease their attacks.”

    Mr. Ban “underscores the need for all concerned to fully respect human rights and safeguard the lives of civilians,” the Secretary-General’s statement added.

    Baga is a fishing town on the shore of Lake Chad adjacent to the Chadian border.

    Most of those killed were said to be women and children.

    About 2000 houses and more than 50 motorcycles were burnt in the commercial town, which is close to the desert.

    No fewer that 186 people were killed in coordinated attacks by Boko Haram fighters in Kano in January, last year.

    The Federal Government has demanded a comprehensive brief from the Commander of the Task Force in Borno State, Brig.-General Austin Edokpaye.

    A source said: “Security reports have so far indicated heavy fighting between the JTF and Boko Haram between Friday night and Saturday.

    “But it is difficult to say exactly the casualty figure. What we have now is conflicting death toll. While some of the locals are claiming 185, others are saying it might likely be below 100.

    “There were also reports that many old men, women and children were killed in the attack, allegedly sparked by the combing of Baga.

    “There was an intelligence report of a likely overrun of the town by Boko Haram and the JTF moved in to reclaim the area.

    “The coming of the JTF was resisted by Boko Haram, leading to heavy fighting all through Friday night and Saturday.”

    “The JTF’s action was part of moves to reclaim 10 local government areas in Borno State.”

    The 10 grounded local government areas are: Marte, Magumeri, Mobbar, Gubio, Guzamala, Abadamin, Kukawa, Kaga, Nganzai and Monguno.

    A delegation from the state government visited the town on Sunday in the aftermath of the fighting, and a community representative put the death toll at 185, Borno spokesman Umar Gusau said by telephone.

    “We are investigating,” he said. “For now, we don’t have a very good basis for the figure. These people say they have died and they have buried them. From my experience, most times residents exaggerate figures.”

    He added that since the town had already buried the victims, it had been impossible for authorities to count the bodies.

    Authorities were questioning residents about family members who had died to try to estimate the death toll, he said.

    Task Force spokesman Sagir Musa also expressed skepticism about the reported toll.

    “There was a clash between the Boko Haram terrorists and the JTF but what I can tell you is that the death toll was terribly inflated,” he said by telephone.

    The fighting in Baga began Friday and lasted for hours, sending people fleeing into the arid scrublands surrounding the community on Lake Chad. By Sunday, when government officials finally felt safe enough to see the destruction, homes, businesses and vehicles burnt.

    Authorities had found and buried at least 185 bodies as of Sunday afternoon, said Lawan Kole, a local government official in Baga. He spoke haltingly to Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima in Kanuri language.

    Officials could not offer a breakdown of civilian casualties versus those of soldiers and extremist fighters. Many of the bodies had been burned beyond recognition in fires that razed whole sections of the town, residents said. Those killed were buried as soon as possible, following Muslim tradition.

    Brig.-Gen. Austin Edokpaye, also on the visit, did not dispute the casualty figures. Gen. Edokpaye said Boko Haram extremists used heavy machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades in the assault, which began after soldiers surrounded a mosque they believed housed members of the radical Islamic extremist network Boko Haram. Extremists earlier had killed a military officer, the general said.

    Gen. Edokpaye said extremists used civilians as human shields during the fighting – implying that soldiers opened fire in neighborhoods where they knew civilians lived.

    “When we reinforced and returned to the scene the terrorists came out with heavy firepower, including rocket-propelled grenades, which usually has a conflagration effect,” the general said.

    However, local residents who spoke to an Associated Press journalist who accompanied the state officials said soldiers purposefully set the fires during the attack. Violence by security forces in the northeast targeting civilians has been widely documented by journalists and human rights activists. A similar raid in Maiduguri, Borno State’s capital, in last October after extremists killed a military officer saw soldiers kill at least 30 civilians and set fires across a neighborhood.

    Sunday afternoon, the burnt bodies of cattle and goats still filled the streets in Baga. Bullet holes marred burned buildings. Fearful residents of the town had begun packing to leave with their remaining family members before nightfall, despite Shettima’s plea for them to stay.

    “Everyone has been in the bush since Friday night; we started returning back to town because the governor came to town today,” grocer Bashir Isa said. “To get food to eat in the town now is a problem because even the markets are burnt. We are still picking bodies of women and children in the bush and creeks.”

    Boko Haram, which means “Western education is sacrilege” in the Hausa language, wants its imprisoned members freed and Nigeria to adopt strict Shariah law. A committee has been set up to initiate dialogue with the sect as a prelude to granting its members amnesty. Boko Haram’s leader Abubakar Shekau has dismissed the idea.