The Borno Elders Forum (BEF) has reacted to revelation made by immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, Alex Badeh at his ceremonial pullout from service, that he presided over an ill-equipped military and poorly motivated troops.
Ambassador Usman Gaji Galtimari, BEF Chairman, in a statement sent to DAILY POST yesterday said the Forum found Badeh’s comments as an “eye opener and extremely disturbing”.
The statement said as Chief of Defence Staff under former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Alex Badeh was not just the head of all serving military men in Nigeria, he was also in the best position to know the state of affairs regarding the provision of military supplies and troops well-being.
BEF recalled that some time in 2014, the Governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima, publicly stated that troops deployed in the fight against insurgents seriously lacked required military equipment and that those at battle fronts were poorly motivated.
The forum lamented that the comments were completely rebuffed by Jonathan, “who went as far as threatening to withdraw soldiers from Borno as he spoke on a live television interview relayed by the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) during his occasional Presidential Media Chat.”
Continuing, “Not only did the President rebuke the Governor and by extension, the people of Borno State, his aides followed suit. We deliberately refused to make any comment at that time because the president as Commander in Chief, was in the best position to speak on the capacity of the Nigerian Armed Forces. The Forum remained silent out of wisdom and not to complicate matters.
“To our very rude shock, it turned out, the Governor was absolutely right after all. He has been vindicated by no less a person but the then Chief of Defence Staff who was the symbol of the Nigerian Armed Forces.”
The Borno Elders Forum also made demands from the Federal Government, the United Nations and the International community.
They include: “A National Judicial Commission of Enquiry under an incorruptible judge from preferably the Southern Nigeria be set up to ask the immediate past President questions on why his administration refused to provide the military with the required functional and superior equipment whereas our sons and daughters were exposed to mass murder, severe injuries and grave destructions of our communities
“That if the former Government is found wanting it should be charged for genocide against the people of Borno State or at least criminal negligence at the International Criminal Court of Justice.
“The retired CDS retired should also be asked why he kept silent when the military under his command was not provided with the right equipment. He had the option of speaking or resigning as he ought to have done in order to draw attention of the world and by that he would have saved lives of Borno people.
“A list of citizens of Borno State killed from the time the issue of military capacity became in question, is compiled and relations of those killed are fully compensated for the death of their loved ones as a result of criminal negligence.
“A list of soldiers sent on missions without being properly equipped and exposed to death at different battle fronts in Borno State, is also compiled and that they are specifically celebrated with their survivors fully compensated since their bread winners died not just in combat but out of negligence of those in authority.
“An unreserved apology is tendered by the immediate past President and his service chiefs to the people of Borno State, especially those lost relations and also to Governor Kashim Shettima for all the humiliation he was made to suffer for telling the truth about capacity of the military at that time.
“That President Muhammadu Buhari administration and the National Assembly set up a Presidential Armed Forces Capacity Monitoring and Evaluation Unit which could be directly supervised by the President, Commander In Chief in order to at all times, have accurate data of the capacity of Nigeria’s Armed Forces, monitoring military procurements and hardwares and their deployments, so as to avert future discrepancies unless if of course, there is already an established system of this nature.
“That he current service chiefs should learn from their predecessors by building on their successes and avoiding their mistakes with regards to refusal to tell the nation the true situation of things where political leaders fail to meet critical needs of the military on matters of national security.
BEF further saluted soldiers who laid their lives in defense of the nation saying, “we remember them always for their supreme sacrifices, pray for the repose of their souls and the welfare of their survivors.
“We also salute all patriotic officers of all categories who genuinely worked with troops leading to the liberation of all captured territories. These officers include those who worked under the administration of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and those working under President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
“We urge all sons and daughters of Borno State wherever they are to continually accord 100 percent support to our gallant armed forces and pray for them to succeed in their national assignment of keeping Borno safe and secured.
BEF urged Buhari to remain focused and not to be distracted in the fight against insurgency.
It further advised Shettima to continually accord complete cooperation to the Federal Government and complement the efforts of the Federal Government where necessary.
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