‘Unscrupulous Troops’ Behind Maiduguri Protest – Army

The Nigerian Army has described as “unscrupulous”, the troops who picketed the Maiduguri Airport on Sunday in objection to their redeployment away from the airport to a location once controlled by Boko Haram insurgents.

The troops were reported to have seized the airport for at least two hours, threatening to shoot their superiors if their redeployment to Marte local government area of the state was not reversed.

According to reports, the troops asked the Army to redeploy them back to states where their families are resident as they have stayed too long at their current postings and needed to reconnect with their loved ones.

But addressing the incident in a statement by the Deputy Director Public Relations, Operation Lafiya Dole Theatre Command, Colonel Onyema Nwachukwu, the Army berated the troops’ actions, describing it as regrettable.

The Army said the redeployment became inevitable as there was the need to improve the security situation in the state.

“The redeployment became expedient after a recent assessment of the security situation by the Theatre Command. Regrettably, however, a few of the troops who had misunderstood the development and erroneously assumed it was going to negatively affect their rotation from the theatre of operation became agitated and reacted by firing into the air.

“Calm has however been restored, as the Theatre Commander, Major General Abba Dikko has promptly taken charge of the situation after addressing and admonishing the troops.

“The Theatre Command undoubtedly considers this ugly incident quite regrettable and appropriate measures are being taken to forestall a recurrence,” said Nwachukwu.