Following the grave allegation by the Governor of Borno State, Professor Babagana Zulum that the military is sabotaging the peace process, the Nigerian Army which is the most prominent arm in the war theatre has commenced an investigation into allegations that its soldiers are now engaged in fishing and farming of arable lands in Borno State.
The Army high command has also called for a thorough investigation into the allegations that its personnel have been exporting dried fish from the Lake Chad waters to neighbouring countries and this has been ongoingly unchecked outside their primary duties.
It became paramount that the truth must be unearthed after the convoy of the Governor, Babagana Zulum was shot at recently in Baga town, headquarters of Kukawa council area of the state while the governor was on a visit.
Sources told Tribune Online that in spite of the war, “massive fishing was going on in the Lake Chad adding that it’s only Boko Haram who are now in control of the waters since the civilian population have since been settled in internally displaced camps in the state capital Maiduguri.
However, Governor Zulum virtually indicted the Army as saboteurs accusing them as being part of the problems associated with the lingering war since they gave him a clean slate in their report and in his bid to go in to see how he could start resettlement of his people, he was shot at and his bodyguards had to wrest him away into safety.
Leading the panel of investigations during the week was the Deputy Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole Major General Felix Omoigui who went on a two-day fact-finding investigation mission to Baga town, to verify the allegations against the 130 Battalion Baga, a forward operational base which is at the centre of these allegations.
The Commanding Officer 130 Battalion Lt. Col Umar Abdulmajid while responding to questions vehemently denied the allegations against his troops adding that “there was nothing like that going on in that axis.
He said that there was no farming or fishing from either civilian or military going on ” nobody is farming and nobody is fishing from Monguno to Baga because there’s no civilian and there are no civilian vehicles coming to Baga at any point in time.”
“There have been allegations flying in the mills that soldiers are involved in farming activities fishing and trading of dried fish and other farm products from Baga to Maiduguri and other places and the Chief of Army Staff got wind of it and since he has zero-tolerance for infractions like this he mandated us to come for a fact-finding mission to ascertain whether the allegations are true,” Omoigui told journalists who were present.
“During the course of our investigation and the investigative session was open we made our discoveries and we are going back to write our reports and the outcome will be made public.
“Once I finish we’ll submit to the appropriate superior authority and if need be we’ll let the public know because that allegation is so damaging and that is why the chief of army staff is very concerned about it and that is why we are here.” He told newsmen earlier.
“You’ve seen the whole place, there are no civilians here and there are no farmlands I don’t know where this rumour is emanating from. I really don’t want to arrive at any position now because the investigation is still going on but from what they have said it follows that the allegations are baseless.”
“We just liberated this place and we have made it secured now and the civilians can come in. But once in a while, we do witness these infiltrations of the BH so in an atmosphere like that why would the soldier leave their primary duty of protecting civilians and then go and be farming? It’s not possible.” The commander stressed.
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