Nigerian soldiers battling insurgents in Yobe State have again lamented the military authorities’ decision to keep them in the war front beyond the officially stated time.
The soldiers, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of victimization, lamented that they have stayed beyond their regular period of deployment and implored their superiors to adhere to the routine troop rotation.
Premium Times encountered many of disenchanted soldiers manning several checkpoints in Yobe, who said they had spent at least nine months in the state instead of the approved six.
“We have been here for over nine months now, and we were supposed to be here for six months. You, journalists, are supposed to beam this to the world that troops are made to suffer unnecessarily even though funds are being released for their welfare,” said one disgruntled soldier manning a checkpoint.
Many of the soldiers had been deployed to Yobe since last year, several months before the state of emergency declaration in the state in May. It is commonplace for the military, both in Nigeria and globally, to rotate troops based on approved schedule for specific missions.
Another soldier at a different checkpoint said due to the prolonged stay in the state, some of their wives have relocated to join them in Yobe.
“Our wives thought we are dead when they did not see us return home after nine months and decided to come over. We now leave with them in those make shift houses.
“You, the media, are our hope when you speak through your medium the world would know how we are faring but I tell it is not palatable at all,” the soldier said.
When Premium Times earlier reported the complaints by the soldiers in June, the Defence Headquarters spokesman, Chris Olukolade, confirmed the situation, saying, “Originally, the troops were meant to stay for three months; that was the agreement that took them there.”
“Along the line, their stay had to be extended. And when it was extended, it means that there has to be a new procedure which will also make up for their needs while in that mission.”
When Premium Times contacted Mr. Olukolade this week on the increased complaints by the soldiers, he said military authorities could keep the soldiers there for as long as they deemed fit.
“What determines whether they have overstayed? Posting of a soldier is tenure bound,” he said.
“Yes, there ought to be rotation of troops but that is determined by the exigency of the operation.
“So nobody tells you that you are to stay for three days and after three days you start complaining, there’s no tenure especially in operational situations, it is determined at the strategic level when to rotate the people in the field and that’s also determined by how the operation is being accessed.”
A thin Nigerian military
The complaints by soldiers posted to Yobe is similar to that of Nigerian soldiers in Mali, who also complained of staying beyond the three months they were assured when leaving Nigeria.
Military sources had told Premium Times that the insurgency battle in the North and the battle against militants and crude oil thieves in the South South had thinned the Nigerian military so much that the military could not afford to sustain a heavy presence in Mali.
A Senate committee that investigated the killings in Baga area of Borno State also stated in its report that the Nigerian military has been “severely stretched by the fighting with Boko Haram”; and demanded massive recruitment into the armed forces.
Perhaps in confirmation of Nigeria’s inability to sustain the war against insurgents and also play leading role in regional peace missions like Mali, President Goodluck Jonathan wrote the ECOWAS Chairman, President Alassane Ouattara of Cote d’Ivoire, that Nigeria would pull out some of its forces in Mali.
“Nigeria needs some of its people but not all are being withdrawn,” Mr. Ouattara said while confirming the letter.
The United Nations also confirmed that the federal government was withdrawing some of its troops from Mali, and indicated that the troops would be replaced by other countries, indicating they were still necessary to maintain the peace in the West African country.
“We can confirm that Nigeria has officially notified (U.N. peacekeeping) of its intention to withdraw some of its troops – up to two battalions – from UNAMID,” said U.N. peacekeeping spokesman Kieran Dwyer.
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