Some soldiers, who protested at theMaiduguri Airport on Sunday, have spoken on
the incident.
The demonstrators were part of the special
force deployed to provide air defence and
enhance security at the airport.
The troops barricaded some sections of the
airport and fired shots in the air, causing
pandemonium, as hundreds of pilgrims
waiting to be airlifted to Saudi Arabia for
the Hajj scampered for safety.
One of them explained to NAN on Monday
why they displayed their anger publicly.
His words: “The army special forces
deployed to the airport were not trained to
engage in ground battle rather trained to
provide air defence.
“Our task is to provide air defence. Alas,
special forces trained to fight ground battle
are stationed in Maiduguri and we are
deployed to go and die in Marte”.
Another soldier lamented that the troops have
overstayed in the North-East fighting Boko
Haram, despite the rotation order by the
military authorities.
He said: “Some troops of Operation Lafiya
Dole were deployed and worked for over
three years in the theatre and not rotated as
against the directives by the Chief of Army
Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai.
“The command is directed to redeploy
soldiers back to their bases after spending
stipulated time in the theatre of operation.
“We have spent over three years in the
North-East and we should be transferred out
of the North-East and not within”.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army has described
the protest as ‘unscrupulous”.
In a statement, Colonel Onyema Nwachukwu,
Deputy Director Public Relations, Operation
Lafiya Dole Theatre Command, noted that
“Calm however been restored, as the
Theatre Commander, Major General Abba
Dikko has promptly taken charge of the
situation
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