According to a publication of Sahara Reporters on Thursday 26th March 2021, Nigerian soldiers protested at Borno State due to poor fighting equipment and unpaid allowances. The news was as well, confirmed by channels television, asserting that the aggrieved soldiers at the Maimalari barracks besieged the headquarters of the Theatre Command in Borno State, shooting sporadically into the air on Thursday night following their redeployment.
They cited non-payment of allowances and poor equipment as reasons for their protest.
Some of the soldiers who spoke under anonymity, recalled how a whole unit that went for reinforcement when Marte was captured last month, perished under the superior firepower of the enemy forces (Boko Haram terrorists). This is unfortunately true as the report duly confirmed the height of unfairness witnessed daily in this contraption called Nigeria. It is perplexing to note that these same soldiers that have been trigger-happy, shooting down innocent Nigerian youths, especially from the South-East region for protesting against the ongoing abnormalities in the government, have today risen to engage in the same act they called an offence.
While Nigeria youths voluntarily and unitedly stood in the gap for the betterment of the lives of all, these soldiers failed to see that all the citizens have one common enemy, which is the Nigerian government. They did not see the need to join the masses in the fight against bad governance earlier. Rather, they allowed themselves to be used by politicians who never even had them in mind, to quench the zeal and right demand of the youths.
They killed and molested the innocent that peacefully agitated for a better life.
Now, their turn has come. And until they join in the fight against bad governance, their predicaments will only get worse. The other time, a soldier was heard complaining that they were given guns seized from Biafrans during Nigeria-Biafra war of 1967 to go and fight Boko Haram.
The soldiers should not expect to eat their cake and still have it. You cannot be killing innocent protesters who are your fellow citizens with whom you share same fate and expect the same despotic government to treat you well. And it is puzzling to spot out what really are the gains of the individual Nigerian soldiers in the army? Is it because of the care they receive, their salaries or what? There is definitely nothing profitable in serving the "death nation" because it ranks zero in everything except terrorim and bad governance.
It is rather preferable to sacrifice one's life and abilities in a course that will make people's lives better than getting enlisted into the Nigerian army and be sent to kill innocent citizens or equally be sent to be killed in Boko Haram infested sambisa forest without commensurate compensation for loved ones left behind.
Written by Obulose Chidiebere
Edited by Ogah C.S. Maduabuchi
For Family Writers Press International
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