Boko Haram: Group indicts Buhari over attack on military bases

A South African mercenary company, Specialized Tasks, Training, Equipment and Protection International (STTEP), has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of playing politics with the lives of soldiers fighting the Boko Haram insurgents.

Recall that a faction of the Boko Haram group, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), has made 17 attempts to overrun army bases since July, with the latest being the attack in Melete village, Borno, where no less than 100 soldiers were killed.

The attacks have been seen as a sign of a hardline takeover in the faction by more radical commanders and have stretched the army at a time when soldiers are complaining of fatigue.

While President Buhari has assured the military of his administration total support in combating the menace in a message at the weekend, STTEP, which was employed by former president Goodluck Jonathan in January 2015 to assist the Nigerian army in rescuing the Chibok girls, said President Muhammadu Buhari rejected intelligence warnings about operations of Boko Haram in Borno.

In a Facebook post on Sunday, Chairman of the company, Eeben Barlow, said Nigerian soldiers have been reaching out for help since his company’s services were terminated.

He said prior to its departure from Nigeria, STTEP issued numerous intelligence warnings to the Buhari administration government, which were all rejected in favour of a false belief.

“Neighbouring countries were advised not to listen to us as it was claimed to be a cheap attempt to ‘get a contract’. Chad, Cameroon and Niger are now also reaping the benefits of rejecting intelligence in favour of an agenda-driven narrative.”

Barlow said Buhari’s administration did not allow his company to complete the objective of “degrading and destroying” Boko Haram in Borno.

He wrote: “There is, in a purely military sense, no such thing as a ‘technical defeat’—something the President, as an ex-military man ought to know. Sadly, he also chose to make the successes of 7 Infantry Division and 72 Mobile Strike Force (MSF) his own, when it wasn’t.

“President Buhari and his team were, however, part of the political leader group that led the vocal charge about STTEP’s presence in Nigeria. Indeed, they made it known that the company’s presence would not be tolerated under his office.

“The initial 3-phase campaign strategy (known as ‘Operational Anvil’) to degrade and destroy BH in Borno State, was rejected by his advisors.

“Many of the men we trained as part of 72 Mobile Strike Force have remained in contact with us (STTEP), pleading for our return to Nigeria. They have also told us that they have been used to a point of exhaustion.