arrangements to arraign 16 soldiers over the April
14, 2014, abduction of over 200 students of the
Government Secondary School, Chibok in Borno
State.
Punch reports that three of the soldiers are officers
while the remaining 13 soldiers belong to other
ranks. Barring any last minute change, they would
appear before the General Court Martial at the
Maxwell Khobe Military Cantonment, Rukuba, Jos
in Plateau State after the Sallah
holidays. Punch gathered that the officers were
being charged for failure to perform military duty,
an offence that attracts a maximum of two years'
imprisonment.
Lieutenant Col. A. O. Ojo, who was the Unit
Commander, in Biu, was summoned to the GCM in
relation with the conflict in the number of girls said
to have been abducted by Boko Haram insurgents
and those rescued at the time of the incident. The
officer is also being charged for alleged failure to
reinforce the Chibok community when the incident
occurred.
A source, who confided in Punch said that the Lt.
Colonel had stated that the number he gave was not
the one that was used in a statement by the Defence
Headquarters on the reported rescue of some of the
abducted girls. The said statement was later
withdrawn.
The source said:
"The Lt. Colonel is being charged for
allegedly giving information without
verification, negligent performance of
military duty and not going to reinforce
the place where the incident took place.
The charge attracts a maximum of two
years' imprisonment."
He also said that Ojo had not completely taken over
from his predecessor and had complained about the
number of men and equipment on the ground when
the abduction took place two days after his arrival in
Biu for the mission. It was stated that the shortage
of men was shown by the fact that only the 2nd Lt.
and 13 soldiers were in Chibok in spite of the fact
that the place had a heavy presence of insurgents.
It was gathered that the other soldiers led by
Godknows were on duty at the headquarters of the
Chibok Local Government Area on the day of the
incident. Another source told Punch correspondent
that the Army was not notified of the examinations
that were going on in the school.
The source said that a statement by the Principal of
the School, Asabe Kwambura, corroborated the
soldiers' claim.
Investigations revealed that the soldiers left their
location in Chibok to lay in ambush when they
received a report that insurgents were planning to
attack them on the night the schoolgirls were
seized. They were said to have lost a soldier during
the face-off with the Boko Haram members.
The source said:
"Only Godknows and 13 soldiers were on duty
in Chibok. They were not stationed within the
school. No soldier was stationed in the school
and they didn't know that the school was in
session. Nobody notified these people that the
girls were having an examination in the
school. Even the principal admitted in her
statement that the soldiers were not notified.
They were told that their camp was about to be
attacked so they went out to lay in ambush for
insurgents. One of the soldiers died. But I can
confirm to you that the Army has concluded
preparations to arraign them."
The abduction of the schoolgirls sparked global
outrage with world leaders calling on the terrorist
group and the Federal Government to ensure their
safe release.
SOMAYINA OFFOR
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