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| Africa Subsaharan |
| Boko Haram planned to take over North East --Senate report |
| 2013-06-27 |
| [Nigerian Tribune] A report of the Senate Joint Committee on Defence, Army, Police Affairs and National Security and Intelligence which conducted investigations into the alleged massive killings in Baga town in Kukuwa Local Government Area of Borno State in April has revealed that the Boko Haram ... not to be confused with Procol Harum, Harum Scarum, possibly to be confused with Helter Skelter. The Nigerian version of al-Qaeda and the Taliban rolled together and flavored with a smigeon of distinctly Subsaharan ignorance and brutality... faceless myrmidons planned to take over Maiduguri and Damaturu within two weeks and overrun the entire North East zone in six weeks. The report, which is slated for debate by Senators on Wednesday (today) indicated that the sect had taken over 10 local governments in Borno State before the attack and that it has completely overrun Marte Local Government where its flag was hoisted. While giving details of its interactions with critical stakeholders during its visit to Borno, the Joint Committee reported that it was told that the Boko Haram sect has members from Chad and Cameroun but that no fewer than 80 percent of their members are of Kanuri tribe. During an interaction with the Governor of Borno State, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, the committee was also told that wanted leader of Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau is a Kanuri from Niger Republic. It also submitted that the reports of massive killings in Baga, alleging over 185 deaths were exaggerated adding that the village heads could not provide a list of the dead in their community to tally with such figure. The Commander of the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) Brigadier General Austin Edokpayi had told the Joint Committee that 37 deaths were recorded during the face-off between Boko Haram and the MNJTF in Baga. He gave the statistics to include 25 Boko Hara members, six civilians and another six civilian bodies found in the river. The report indicated: "The corpse count of one hundred and eighty five (185) was exaggerated but there may be more than thirty seven (37) deaths. This is possible as there is no documentary evidence from either the natives or the military to ascertain figures quoted. Although the National Emergency Management Agency in the company of some community youths counted thirty two (32) graves seven days after the incidence, yet it is difficult to ascertain the actual number of casualties." The Joint Committee opined that the operation to flush out Boko Haram from the Baga Community was carried out between 8.30 and 9.00 p.m. on April 16, high casualty figures was possible because the faceless myrmidons engaged in sporadic shootings and use of Improvised Explosive devices(IEDs). The report further indicated: "The quantum of destruction of houses, vehicles and cycle of violences were exaggerated. There was an actual physical count of one hundred and fifteen houses burnt as against the figure of two thousand (2,000) houses given by the governor and three thousand and fifty nine (3,059) houses by the District Head. "The burnt houses most of which are clustered together may be as a result of exchange of gun fire between the Military and the Boko Haram members, use of IEDs and other explosives by the Boko Haram members. The failure of the District Head and his Council to transmit the requested list of names of casualties and actual number of destroyed Houses and other properties for over twenty one days could be seen as lack of proper evidence of claims made." In order to enhance the manpower capacity of the Military, the Joint Committee recommends that The President and Commander in Chief should direct the armed Forces especially the Army to carry out urgent recruitment of soldiers and officers since it appears the insurgency has overstretched the services. |
| Posted by:Fred |