B-O-K-O H-A-R-A-M: Battle-field account of a military deserter

While the battle to route Boko Haram insurgents within six weeks as promised by the Federal government rages, an army officer, nursing the wounds and deep feelings over the whole incident, spoke exhaustively to Saturday Vanguard about his battle field experiences at Gombe and Yobe axis and why he deserted the profession he loves so much. His narration which runs like a ‘war memoir’ is as interesting although the military has recorded reasonable success with more equipment with which they have attacked terror camps and killed a great number of them. However we present to you an interesting account of an officer who deserted the army from the battle front.

Excerpts:

BACKGROUND

‘’I have served Nigerian Army for about twenty years. I enrolled through the regular course.

I have served in almost all formations in the country. I am from the middle Belt part of the country, married with two children, a boy and girl. I have also served in foreign missions in Sierra-leone, Liberia and Dafur and we always came out in flying colours. Sierra-leone and Liberia were for peace enforcement while Dafur was for peace support missions. We fought real battles at Sierra-leone and Liberia for about one year. We were there as a member of ECOWAS and we proved our mettle. It was popularly called ECOMOG. The battles were tense but rewarding in the sense that we were heavily equipped and all we needed for the war were adequately provided for us. During the battles we recorded very minimal casualty though. You know that it is difficult not to record casualties in war situations.


A picture taken on February 17, 2015 shows Cameroonian soldiers patrolling in the Cameroonian town of Fotokol, on the border with Nigeria, after clashes occurred on February 4 between Cameroonian troops and Nigeria-based Boko Haram insurgents. Nigerian Boko Haram fighters went on the rampage in the Cameroonian border town of Fotokol on February 4, massacring dozens of civilians and torching a mosque before being repelled by regional forces AFP PHOTO

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT LARGESSE

‘’In spite of the fact that the war was being fought outside Nigeria, the Federal Government of Nigeria under General Abacha provided us with all we needed and when ever we complained of any inadequacy, the Federal government provided them without delay. That was the spirit and we relished and cherished it. It was such that we were all looking forward to being drafted back to continue with the war. But it is a totally different thing with the against Boko Haram in the North Eastern part of Nigeria.

FEARS OVER ILL-PREPARATION

This is a war in which almost 95% of our soldiers fear to join. Our fears are not that we were not trained enough to face the challenges but simply because we seem not to be prepared, at all, for the war. A lot of sabotage, politics and other extraneous factors are seriously inhibiting the success of the war. Unfortunately, we are loosing a lot in men and material. It is so much that whenever the toll will be taken, the world will weep for this country. Already, thousands of families are in deep grief, having lost their dear ones in the war.

As we speak, I have deserted from the battle field at Bajoga, Yobe State. Let me give you a vivid account of the circumstances that led to my deserting the profession I love so much.

MY STORY

Until the unfortunate and very painful AWOL, I was serving in Bauchi as a Sergeant. While carrying out our normal duties, I was abreast of the ongoing war my colleagues were waging with Boko Haram and I was inwardly praying for an action whenever I would be drafted to the front. Alas, my battalion was informed of a certain foreign mission. I was ecstatic, knowing that we always triumphed during such missions. Unfortunately, when the real action came, I regretted joining the Nigerian army.