Obviously outraged by the needless death of 48 Nigerians comprising oil workers, lecturers, civilian JTF and soldiers in an ambush by the dreaded Boko Haram terrorist while on an oil exploration mission in the Lake Chad Basin, many Nigerian have risen with the same voice to condemn the authorities for putting their compatriots in harms way.
Following an exclusive report by the Punch Newspaper in it Thursday edition that Boko Haram terrorist killed forty-eight persons and not ten, as stated by the army spokesman, during an oil exploration to the Lake Chad Basin, many Nigerians who read the story showed uncommon agreement that the government, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC and the military were faultless by omission and commission in the disaster.
According to the Punch, forty-eight corpses of those killed were brought to the Maiduguri Teaching Hospital in Borno State, where “sources at the UMTH and the Maimalari Army Barrack told The PUNCH that the corpses were brought into Maiduguri from the scene of the attack.
“The corpses brought include 18 soldiers, 15 Civilian JTF, five university staff and four NNPC drivers.
“Also six persons who were wounded in the attack but escaped to somewhere in Yobe State were later found dead and brought to Maiduguri.
“Apart from the wounded soldiers admitted to military hospital in the town, two members of the Civilian JTF were as at Thursday on admission at the UMTH.
This disclosure sharply contradicts what the Army, in a press statement on Wednesday by it’s spokesman, Brig. Gen. Sani Usman, told the public. He had claimed that all the NNPC staff abducted in the Tuesday’s ambush had been rescued.
According to him: “On receipt of the information, the Brigade mobilized and sent reinforcement, search and rescue party that include the Armed Forces Special Forces and guides that worked and pursued the terrorists throughout the night.
“So far, they have rescued all the NNPC staff and recovered the corpses of the Officer, 8 soldiers and a civilian who have been evacuated to 7 Division Medical Services and Hospital.
“The team recovered 4 vehicles one of which include a gun truck mounted with an Anti-Aircraft Gun, 2 white Hilux taken away from NNPC staff and 1 blue Hilux belonging to CJTF. The team also recovered large quantities of arms and ammunition, several spare tyres, many jerry cans of containing Petroleum, Oil and Lubricant, assorted drugs, Improvised Explosive Device (IED) making materials, reflective jackets and a Motorola handheld radio, among others. The team also neutralized many of the terrorists.”
But the Punch in its investigations gave names of the dead as confirmed by family members. It said that five lecturers from the University of Maiduguri in the exploration team were killed and gave their names of three of them as Dr. Joseph Millitus, Dr. Manaja Uba and Idris Njodi.
“A family of one of the deceased (Dr. Joseph Millitus), Daniel Millitus told our correspondent that the family was still in grief over the lost of one of the rising stars of the family.
“Daniel Millitus, who is a pastor in one of the parishes of Redeemed Christian Church of God in Maiduguri, said the family is making arrangements for the burial of their son.
“Another relative of a slain lecturer (Dr. Manaja Uba), said the family was still in shock and found it difficult to believe that “Manaja was no more.”
“She lamented that another relative (Yusuf Ibrahim) also in the exploration team is still missing.
Efforts by the paper to confirm the reports were met by evasion of those who should know. They include the spokesman of the University of Maiduguri, Professor Danjuma Gambo,who “ said he was in Abuja and, therefore, has limited access to information on happenings at the institution”
“The Deputy Director Army Public Relations, Col. Kingsley Samuel, when contacted on the matter, said it was not within the purview of the 7 Division where he is the spokesman.
However, at a briefing in Maiduguri, Thursday, Danny Mamman, chairman of the UNIMAID chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), confirmed the report and blamed the army for misleading the public.
“We were first elated when we heard that the military rescued the victims. But, to our dismay we discovered that they were all killed,” he said.
“Our initial hope to see them alive was dashed. The soldiers brought only dead bodies.”
Many Nigerians who immediately reacted to the story in the Punch were for the first united, across sectarian beliefs and political affiliations, that this expedition was unnecessary, unjustified and canvassed the view that some persons must be held accountable.
Some sympathized with the military and called for more funding to equip them with weapons, while many blamed the government for being blinded by greed and partisanship in the disastrous mission.
The views are below:
It is so unfortunate that we have lost 18 soldiers and 30 civilians in an impossible expedition. This is the result of greed by the President, who want oil to be discovered in the North by all means. They simply wasted these people knowing full well that North East has never been safe for anything. And when the army said all the workers were rescued with just 8 soldiers killed, People became suspicious. The ambush was well planned and there was no how anybody could escape such ambush, they simply worked into their traps helplessly and were eventually over powered. There was no way boko fighter could have allowed those taken hostage to escape or be rescued, without killing them all. May their souls rest in peace.
The question is, do we still have intelligent staff in the intelligence dept. of the Army, DSS, Air-Force and Police, who are suppose to scan the roads from overhead, and spy staff in mufti within the villages as they go about the length and breath of the only one suffocating and sacrificial town called Maiduguri ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?. Just one town and one sambisa forest cannot be delivered from un-trained gun men. so what is the pride of the Nigerian military men with big, big ranks ? ? ?
even at that, it is not totally unsafe for such project in the Maiduguri. Not even in the next 10 years
Yes we do….such support staffs work well in the south but not in the north. There is something about the core northern part of Nigeria and happenings there that always defies the odds.
48 lives wasted because Buhari is bent on finding oil in the north at all cost. Other nations are banning petrol cars marking end to oil regime we are wasting the little we have on wild goose Chase. The blood and families of these dead are crying for justice while the man who caused all these are in his comfort zone in London receiving visitors
Kamalu •
The continued search for elusive oil in the Chad basis under a full theatre of war shows how desperate some sections of the country has been on their belief that Nigeria as a country is miles away from disintegration.
The dead soldiers and civilian compatriot have simply been used as guinea pigs for purely unrestrained ambition by a section of the country and may the souls of the dead rest in peace
Hahaha. You are just knowing this. It’s takes stupidity to find sense in APC and the jackals. I wonder how a human will be fan to these unrepentant liars.
Okeowo •
Let us continue to count the forty days marching order given by Brutai. He must be ready to retire if there is no end to this killing.
May the families of these great citizens be comforted. And may the blood, which they shed never be in vain. Two things stood up from this sad event: It shows how our military is more or less not prepared for any internal or external aggression – this may be due to the level of corruption, low level of intelligent gathering and lack of patriotism on the part of our leaders (both military and political) who should have known that a strong united country implies a well formed, committed and disciplined military that is well equipped to defend the nation; It portrays how little attention had been paid to the northern part of the country over years – neither the government nor the military seems to know the terrain in north. Boko haram terrorists seem to know every part of the north while the military is just trying to discover the terrain. We have to support our military so that these terrorists will be crushed soon and Nigeria be safe. We must fight corruption and instill the love of our country in every citizen, whether be it north, south, west, east or middle belt.
Ughor •
This is the same north-east that has been cleared of boko haram terrorists?
False impression!, propaganda!!, costly lives!!.
Squeezing water out of rock! North-east futile oil exploration, mogus contracts, bogus millionaires, God dey!
Eagle •
There’s no oil in the north , it’s all rumours. North east is a war zone. Sending people to the war zone to search for an impossible thing is death sentence. Buhari and his kinsmen has committed war crime and crime against humanity
stj •
Hmmmm, so sad and barbaric, looking for oil in war zone, the leadership of the army can never be spared in this zaga, where is military intelligence? What about the senseless House? Declare a total state of emergency, why are they playing politics with human lives? This is deliberate, its inhuman and its condemnable, may their souls rest in peace.
PARRY B. •
We can then agree with the Police when they refused to confront the kidnappers of Lagos Model School children at their den. That is pretty intelligence. It’s not all operations that force is applied. Intelligence led operation is the way out of the situation we find ourselves. If the Police had gone ahead to take the battle to them in the creeks, casualty figure would have been high and the possibility of rescuing the victims alive reduced. I’ve seen intelligence and wisdom in that tact. It’s rather unfortunate that we lost that number in a swoop. May their souls rest in peace.
KBE •
18 soldiers at a go what is happening here. May God grant families of deceased grace to bear the irreparable loss. Amen.
Such a painful and very unnecessary waste of lives. Even if the Buhari govt. has chosen to waste the nation’s lean resources in the uninformed search for oil, why mortgage other people’s lives ? These lives have simply been wasted. Such a shame.
Arogbo •
General Buratai and his troops should stop wasting tax payers money decriminalizing these savages. They should continue to go after all of them until they are all decimated. How can we allow these bunch of bloody beasts to continue to harass, kill and maim our people. Haba, who are these animals fighting for.
The Nigerian Authorities including the Army said they have defeated Boko Haram. Killing 18 soldiers plus some 30 expatriates mean the government and the army are not being honest to Nigerians with the facts on ground. They just needed cheap praises.
Romanboy •
Nigeria is irredeemable. Dancing in the heart of fire is not bravery but madness. In a “human society” questions should be asked and people held accountable for wasting lives senselessly as in this case.
Very good comments there. But zombies don’t ask questions, all they know is carry go. If Fayose or FFK have voiced out against this project many on this forum would have called them names, request for mental examinations and ask that they be investigated for terrorism. A nation of conformist and cowards. They only shout after disasters while doing nothing to avert future occurrences.
Fadama •
This is saddening. My thoughts are with their family and friends. They will always be remembered.
They claimed to have defeated BH, and cleared every spaces they held prior to this administration, and even lied to us that they rescued NNPC workers when they know that what they are telling the nation is not true.
The lies told by Nigerian army in this circumstance, is it not the same lies they told us when Chibok girls were abducted. Nothing have changed, the only thing that have changes is that the current administration lies to the public and the gullible are so weakened to ask them basic questions.
In Souther Kaduna where there is peace now, the governor has kept all tertiary institutions closed, no one is talking. Whereas in a complete war zone the Federal government is exploring oil at the expense of peoples lives. What a country.
it getting to a point where “we” the people must someday raise arms against those bastards call boko haram or else these never ending war will never end, them no be spirit they are bloody human being like us and amongst us, only with evil minds. (which they can only have monopoly of) we cant keep on folding our arms seeing our fellow country men and woman killed, kidnap raped and hanged while our top ranking army officers and politicians alike are using the war as a ply to amass wealth and do nothing or say nothing. For now lets wait for the 40 days to see the outcome
That was how oil was explored in the Niger delta before 1956. None of you now claiming it invested 1 kobo.
Nigeria would have been better for it if our commonwealth used to develop Oil industry were invested in developing our 84 million arable land and its value chains 60% in the north neglected.
Sandra •
This is a national outrage…!!!! Unacceptable waste of money, unacceptable waste of life..!!!
Lie Lie government. Like Lai mohammed like Sani Usman
The President made the blunder and all the so-called brainless and visionless advisers could have advised him against the moves of searching for oil explorations in a troubles region . To the best of my knowledge, the president as an old man carries 40% blames while those absentminded ministers and advisers take home the remaining 60% blames for those lost lives. If the country was united, settled and free of unwarranted rancor, there’s no need of looking for oil to exploit in this nation, when other nations are exploring alternative energy.
Lord have mercy! Is this life we are living in this country? May their souls rest in perfect peace.
Echeke •
My God what is the offense of this people ? Also the government and NNPC should forthwith stop the oil exploration in the volatile area of Maiduguri, lets finish clearing these animals in human skin before we can think oil, no amount of money or oil can return the lives wasted back to their loved ones, as the family are the most hit with this madness, also the military outfit of Nigeria should quit telling lies or arrogating so much powers they don’t have, each time there is casualties the Nigerian army is always quick to cover its loss, which brings their integrity to ridicule and scrutiny. Must the army authority tell lies like their principal the APC government? Shame and may the souls of those patriots rest in perfect peace and may their killers die the death of beasts without burial or care.
Wise Man •
What a pity. Civilians and military lying?. So when they were lying about the numbers of casualties to their followers, did they forgot the bodies would be recovered?
Obviously miffed by the disaster, Acting Presdient, Yemi Osinbajo has directed the nation’s military chiefs to move back to the Maiduguri command center.
The Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, made this known while answering questions from State House correspondents after a closed-door meeting with the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo in the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Thursday.
He said Gen. Gabriel Olonisakin, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS); Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Vice Admiral Ekwe Ite-Ibas, Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), and Air Vice Marshal Sadiq Abubakar, the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), also attended the meeting.
According to the minister, the meeting agreed to get more surveillance devices, cameras and other vital security gadgets that will be able to see distant attackers coming to the position of the Nigerian troops.
