Over 500 soldiers who fled from Monguno as Islamist
insurgents attacked the town three days ago are now stranded in
Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
The soldiers took to their heels from Monguno after Boko Haram fighters sacked their military base last Sunday.
Some of the soldiers were seen wandering the streets of Maiduguri, with some claiming that they ran from their base after they ran out of bullets during a fierce battle with Islamist militants. The soldiers said they went to Maimalari Barracks in Maiduguri to report themselves, but claimed they were denied entry into the barracks.
“Some of us had finished all our bullets and we didn’t have spare ones, so that is why we left Monguno,” one of the soldiers said. He added:“On getting to headquarters [Maimalari barracks] they refused to clear us. Please how can we fight when we are not empowered?”
Another soldier who spoke to SaharaReporters said it was really unfortunate that they were being ignored as if they had deliberately decided to lose their barracks to Boko Haram fighters. “Some of our regular soldiers were killed in the course of defending this nation,” he said. “Now we are roaming the streets of Maiduguri as if it [was] our fault. But our big officers refused to give us weapons to fight Boko Haram,” he added.
It will be recalled that last Sunday, reports reaching us from Maiduguri, Borno State capital revealed that members of the radical Islamist sect, Boko Haram, had overwhelmed the 243rd Battalion of the Nigerian army stationed at Monguno Barracks.
Stranded Soldiers
Some of the soldiers were seen wandering the streets of Maiduguri, with some claiming that they ran from their base after they ran out of bullets during a fierce battle with Islamist militants. The soldiers said they went to Maimalari Barracks in Maiduguri to report themselves, but claimed they were denied entry into the barracks.
“Some of us had finished all our bullets and we didn’t have spare ones, so that is why we left Monguno,” one of the soldiers said. He added:“On getting to headquarters [Maimalari barracks] they refused to clear us. Please how can we fight when we are not empowered?”
Another soldier who spoke to SaharaReporters said it was really unfortunate that they were being ignored as if they had deliberately decided to lose their barracks to Boko Haram fighters. “Some of our regular soldiers were killed in the course of defending this nation,” he said. “Now we are roaming the streets of Maiduguri as if it [was] our fault. But our big officers refused to give us weapons to fight Boko Haram,” he added.
It will be recalled that last Sunday, reports reaching us from Maiduguri, Borno State capital revealed that members of the radical Islamist sect, Boko Haram, had overwhelmed the 243rd Battalion of the Nigerian army stationed at Monguno Barracks.
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