By Albert Akota
A former Garrison Commander, 7 Division, Maiduguri, Brigadier-General Haruna Abubakar Garba,at the weekend in Abuja told Special Independent Investigative Panel on Human Rights Violations in Counter Insurgency in the North East (SIIP-NE) that the Reutersl report is mainly target to demotivate Nigeria army fighting insurgency in the region.
Brigadier-General Haruna Abubakar Garba, who appeared on Friday before the panel said the military are doing everything possible to bring the menace to an end.
The Brigadier General lambasted Reuters news agency for deliberately reporting a military operations know as (Operation No Living Thing) carried out in Sierra Leone not Nigeria “Operation no living things” did not happen in any part of the country it happened in Sierra Leone.
According to him, the said Operation happened in Sierra Leone when i was there on peace-keeping mission, therefore, I wondered what Reuters want to achieve by reporting what happened in another country against Nigerian Soldiers who are doing everything possible to safeguard the country.
The visibly seeing angry General told the panel that there was no time the troops at the theater I’m the North East ever assisted or force any rescued woman to commit a single abortion not to talk of 10, 000 when the lack the chances to even eat or have time to be rest be cause of the activities of the insurgency.
“This is ridiculous, we created IDPs camps for victims, we catered for them medically and otherwise, and we provided security for them, so how then would anyone thing that we can suddenly turn around to inflict same or even worse treatment to a people we are supposed to care for.
“The report by Reuters is false, and full of lies. It does not exist and I don’t think anything like that can happen in Nigeria. Meanwhile, has Reuters ever done a good report about Nigeria if not all these fake and unfounded reports?” He queried.
However, Gen Garba said, Nigerian Army are professional and would not go against the rule of engagement at any point in time.
In the same vein, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor in order to get to the roots of the allegations by the foreign news agency has announced ‘grant immunity and amnesty’ to any soldier that is ready to appear before the seven-man panel heded by Hon. Justice Abdu Aboki to testify gainst the purported military actions against civilians at the north east.
Gen. Irabor who also appeared before the Hon. Justice Aboki led seven-man panel said the allegations by Reuters that the military had a deliberate policy that led to over 10,000 illegal abortion by women rescued from Boko Haram and others that escaped from the insurgents were false and unbelievable.
The CDS challenged Reuters to disclose the identities of the soldiers said to have given such information, adding that he has granted express amnesty to such soldiers as well as immunity from sanctions and prosecution.
“Those allegations contained in the Reuters reports, of abortion of 10 000 pregnancies as well as deliberate killing of civilians and children are false and unfounded,” Gen. Irabor said.
