Soldiers Attack Commander Again In Maiduguri

Soldiers have again attacked the newly posted General Officer Commanding the 7th Division of the Nigerian Army located at Maimalari Barracks, Maiduguri, Brigadier General M. Y. Ibrahim.

According to SaharaReporters, the angry soldiers on Thursday afternoon stormed Gen. Ibrahim’s office to demand that he pays their allowances and reinstate motorbikes to transport them and members of their families within the barracks.

“Several sources in the barracks told SaharaReporters that the soldiers’ second act of mutiny in two weeks began around 3:00 p.m. (Nigerian time). The angry soldiers blew a whistle, and most of the rank and file gathered at a spot before they marched en masse to the 7th Division headquarters building where the GOC’s office is located.

“The sources said the soldiers shot in the air as they marched and chanted ‘We no gree oh, we no gree!’ Our sources said the protesting soldiers were upset about the army’s failure to pay their outstanding allowances. They were also annoyed by the decision of the newly posted GOC to ban motorcycles as a form of transport within the barracks.

“The new GOC reportedly banned motorbikes known as Okada and tricycles known as Keke NAPEP from operating within the vast barracks. The soldiers wondered why the new commander would prohibit the use of the only affordable means of transport they have when he knows full well that the base covers a huge area and that few soldiers own cars or bike,” the online news portal reported.

Barely two weeks ago, angry soldiers opened fire on the car of the former GOC of the Division, Major-General Ahmed Mohammed in protest over the circumstances that led to the death of their colleagues.

The GOC, however, escaped unhurt, as soldiers shot at his car as he was entering the Maimalari Cantonment.

The soldiers were angry about the killing of 12 of their colleagues in an ambush by insurgents and blamed lack of adequate fighting equipment for the deaths.

Sources within the barracks said a bullet fired by one of the protesting soldiers hit the sports-utility vehicle of the GOC and pierced the passenger’s side but the general was not hit.

The 12 slain soldiers were on their way to Maiduguri from Kala-Balge Local Government Area, which is along the shores of the Lake Chad when they were attacked. Other soldiers were also wounded..

Sources said the soldiers were asked to return to Maiduguri from their duty post up north, and they were driving through the Gamboru-Ngala-Dikwa-Mafa-Maiduguri road when they were ambushed.

There was tension among the rank and file, who began firing into the air as a mark of protest.when the corpses were taken to the Maimalari barracks in Maiduguri, there was tension among the rank and file, who began firing into the air as a mark of protest.

The tensed up situation got worse when General Mohammed drove into the barracks.

“The GOC was on his way to the arms store in the barracks when he was attacked by angry soldiers,” an officer, who pleaded for anonymity, said.

Another officer said, “The 101 Battalion has severally complained that they lack kits including fragmented jacket. They repeatedly complained that they don’t have support weapons, they don’t have helmets, boots and basic things for survival like water.

“They were asked to withdraw and while coming back, they were attacked. 12 soldiers died instantly and others escaped with life-threatening injuries, which suggests someone leaked the information of their withdrawal.”

The Defence Headquarters in Abuja said soldiers fired shots while the GOC was addressing troops at the Maimalari cantonment.

In a statement, Director of Defence Information Major-General Chris Olukolade said also that the incident happened following the death of four soldiers on their way back from Chibok, where more than 200 schoolgirls were kidnapped nearly a month ago.

“The 7 Division of the Nigerian Army is to institute a military board of inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the conduct of soldiers who fired some shots today while the General Officer Commanding was addressing troops in Maimalari cantonment Maiduguri.

“The incident occurred when the corpses of 4 soldiers who died in an ambush while returning from patrol duties in Chibok was being conveyed to the morgue.There is calm in the cantonment and all normal operations activities are ongoing,” Olukolade said.