Some soldiers, who protested at
the Maiduguri Airport on Sunday, have spoken on the incident.
The demonstrators were part of
the special force deployed to provide air defence and enhance security at the
airport.
The troops barricaded some
sections of the airport and fired shots in the air, causing pandemonium, as
hundreds of pilgrims waiting to be airlifted to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj
scampered for safety.
One of them explained to NAN on
Monday why they displayed their anger publicly.
His words: “The army special
forces deployed to the airport were not trained to engage in ground battle
rather trained to provide air defence.
“Our task is to provide air
defence. Alas, special forces trained to fight ground battle are stationed in
Maiduguri and we are deployed to go and die in Marte”.
Another soldier lamented that the
troops have overstayed in the North-East fighting Boko Haram, despite the
rotation order by the military authorities.
He said: “Some troops of
Operation Lafiya Dole were deployed and worked for over three years in the
theatre and not rotated as against the directives by the Chief of Army Staff,
Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai.
“The command is directed to
redeploy soldiers back to their bases after spending stipulated time in the
theatre of operation.
“We have spent over three years
in the North-East and we should be transferred out of the North-East and not
within”.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army has
described the protest as ‘unscrupulous”.
In a statement, Colonel Onyema
Nwachukwu, Deputy Director Public Relations, Operation Lafiya Dole Theatre
Command, noted that “Calm however been restored, as the Theatre Commander, Major
General Abba Dikko has promptly taken charge of the situation”.
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