Anxiety at the command college as 3032 soldiers rejects redeployment to battle fronts in the northeastPublished by Family Writers
Thousands of soldiers who were pardoned last August for various alleged offences during campaigns against the Islamic terrorist group, Boko Haram, have rejected redeployment to the battle fronts in the northeast.
The soldiers totaling about 3032 soldiers, explained that they were never really pardoned and re-integrated into the Army, but rather, re-sentenced to the war front.
Vanguard reports that this created anxiety at the command and staff college, Nigerian Army School of Infantry (NASI), in Jaji, Kaduna state.
The soldiers who claimed to have been subjected to unimaginable ill treatment after their pardon – were gathered by the commandant of NASI, Major General Kassim Aldulkareem, to inform them that they have been assigned new riffles and should be ready for deployment to the fronts on Monday, January 11, 2016.
Sources inform that the soldiers complained that they have not been fully re-instated into the Nigerian Army, because attempts by them to report to their units were rejected at their bases since they have no re-instatement letters.
The soldiers also said that since they have been kicked out of the barracks they have not been paid for seven months making their families who live off-barracks begging for food.
Witnesses said they cried, “We are not going! Give us re-instatement letters! You are sentencing us back to war,” among others.
According to sources, the commandant hurriedly left when the soldiers were becoming uncontrollable.
One of the soldiers who spoke to some newsmen on grounds of anonymity, said: “Look at me; I have put in about 28 years of my life serving this country. I have seen action in Liberia; I have been to Rwanda, Sudan and even served overseas and we the Nigerian troops did very well and were decorated in some occasions.
“But, our experience in fighting to save our motherland is too sad a story for the outside world to know. We are not cowards. We held on for over four months facing Boko Haram.
“I just want to say that after the Army dismissed about 5,000 of us, 3032 of us were pardoned last August. Since that time, the Army Authority has treated us like prisoners of wars.”
“We were told to assemble in Jaji on August 17, which we did. Then on August 19, the General Officer Commander (GOC), of 1st Infantry Division, Maj Gen Adeniyi Oyebade gathered us and without prior noticed moved us to Nigerian Army training Centre (NATRAC), Kontogora. Some of us found ourselves there in bathroom slippers. We were just taken straight to the place. Then, without any additional clothes or uniform, we were subjected to what was clear punishment, not training for another three weeks.
“Still in the clothes we came, we were again relocated to 333 artillery Barracks, Njetilo, Maiduguri. We got nothing but constant insults as cowards. We were there without uniforms no arms. They just left us there and we were abused and told to assemble at every two hours through these days for another three weeks.
“In Jaji, we went through another round of punishment, not training. Yet, we were not given any letter to show that we are still serving soldiers.
“So when the Commandant came and said we were going back to the North East, without clearing our status, we felt we have been punished enough.” the soldier said.
Spokesman for the Nigerian Infantry Corps, Major CK Abaide, told pressmen on phone that he was not aware of the development. He said he would get back to the correspondents to share the army’s side of the story.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian army on Wednesday, January 6, said that implementing the Treasury Single Account (TSA) by the federal government was reason for the delay in payment of allowances to some of its officers.
Thousands of soldiers who were pardoned last August for various alleged offences during campaigns against the Islamic terrorist group, Boko Haram, have rejected redeployment to the battle fronts in the northeast.
The soldiers totaling about 3032 soldiers, explained that they were never really pardoned and re-integrated into the Army, but rather, re-sentenced to the war front.
Vanguard reports that this created anxiety at the command and staff college, Nigerian Army School of Infantry (NASI), in Jaji, Kaduna state.
The soldiers who claimed to have been subjected to unimaginable ill treatment after their pardon – were gathered by the commandant of NASI, Major General Kassim Aldulkareem, to inform them that they have been assigned new riffles and should be ready for deployment to the fronts on Monday, January 11, 2016.
Sources inform that the soldiers complained that they have not been fully re-instated into the Nigerian Army, because attempts by them to report to their units were rejected at their bases since they have no re-instatement letters.
The soldiers also said that since they have been kicked out of the barracks they have not been paid for seven months making their families who live off-barracks begging for food.
Witnesses said they cried, “We are not going! Give us re-instatement letters! You are sentencing us back to war,” among others.
According to sources, the commandant hurriedly left when the soldiers were becoming uncontrollable.
One of the soldiers who spoke to some newsmen on grounds of anonymity, said: “Look at me; I have put in about 28 years of my life serving this country. I have seen action in Liberia; I have been to Rwanda, Sudan and even served overseas and we the Nigerian troops did very well and were decorated in some occasions.
“But, our experience in fighting to save our motherland is too sad a story for the outside world to know. We are not cowards. We held on for over four months facing Boko Haram.
“I just want to say that after the Army dismissed about 5,000 of us, 3032 of us were pardoned last August. Since that time, the Army Authority has treated us like prisoners of wars.”
“We were told to assemble in Jaji on August 17, which we did. Then on August 19, the General Officer Commander (GOC), of 1st Infantry Division, Maj Gen Adeniyi Oyebade gathered us and without prior noticed moved us to Nigerian Army training Centre (NATRAC), Kontogora. Some of us found ourselves there in bathroom slippers. We were just taken straight to the place. Then, without any additional clothes or uniform, we were subjected to what was clear punishment, not training for another three weeks.
“Still in the clothes we came, we were again relocated to 333 artillery Barracks, Njetilo, Maiduguri. We got nothing but constant insults as cowards. We were there without uniforms no arms. They just left us there and we were abused and told to assemble at every two hours through these days for another three weeks.
“In Jaji, we went through another round of punishment, not training. Yet, we were not given any letter to show that we are still serving soldiers.
“So when the Commandant came and said we were going back to the North East, without clearing our status, we felt we have been punished enough.” the soldier said.
Spokesman for the Nigerian Infantry Corps, Major CK Abaide, told pressmen on phone that he was not aware of the development. He said he would get back to the correspondents to share the army’s side of the story.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian army on Wednesday, January 6, said that implementing the Treasury Single Account (TSA) by the federal government was reason for the delay in payment of allowances to some of its officers.
My brothers please resign o before thy use you as sacrificial lamb, you guys are very important to your families than the zoo
ReplyDeleteAs a grown up man and woman you must do some thing that make you fill happy defend your father land when you know that you will be appreciated if not why do you subject your self in danger and at the end you are not been paid, your family is suffering you are not appreciated you end up been a beggar with your family.The most poorest men and women including their family in Nigeria is soldiers and police and these people, suffered a lot and always their life in danger still they got nothing. One road close another one open resign find something to do or else you sacrifice your life for nothing.
ReplyDelete" why these politicians dont send there children in the War front ?? and they Keep sending then to study in UK,US,Rusia,Dubai and many other foreign countries??? why??...I thought they should be leading by example?? "
ReplyDeleteA ZOO NOW HEADED BY A TERRORIST HEAD OF STATE WORST THAN BOKOHARAM ACCORDING TO A US PROFESSOR GORAN.SO LONG YOU OBJECTED AND QUESTIONED A TOP COMMANDER WHOSE PRESENCE IS AN AGENT OF NORTHERN POLITICIANS WHO LAID AND FINANCED TERRORISM IN NIGERIA YOUR ACTIONS GOES AGAINST BUHARI AND NOTHERN AGENDA TO ISLAMIZE NIGERIA.
ReplyDeleteLISTEN,YOUR C IN C IS AN ISLAMIC JIHADIST AND HE DO NOT SEE YOU PEOPLE AS NIGERIAN SOLDIERS BUT ENEMIES OF ISLAM AND MUST BE SACRIFISED TO god of islam alled allah.Use your head if you really love your family as Nigerian state shall soon break-up. you can serve whichever nation you falls into after this imminent collapse of zoo.
Truly we are in a slaving country and is only God who will see us through.
ReplyDeleteI think Revolution should start with them,Buhari kids is nowhere close to Boko Haram,Nigeria is a ZOO simple,i wonder why people are killing themselves for Nigeria,APC is busy playing blame game,sharing their own money as well,nobody for whatsoever die for Nigeria ZOO
ReplyDeleteEnter your comment...there is nothing that can come from zoo.
ReplyDelete