Bombed location not on operational map as IDPs centre – DHQ report

Stories by Musa Umar Bologi Abuja

The main reason that caused the unfortunate accidental airstrike near the Internal Displaced Peoples (IDPs) camp at Rann, Kala Balge Local Government Area of Borno state on 17 January 2017, by the Nigerian Air Force fighter jets was due to inappropriate marking of the area, a report by the Defence Headquarters has revealed. According to the report, hitherto people were not expected to amass at the location where the bomb struck, as the location was not refl ected in the operational map as a humanitarian base.

Th e report was the outcomes of diff erent boards of inquiries set up by the aff ected services and the Defence Headquarters. According to media reports, no fewer than 52 people were killed and 150 others, including humanitarian workers, injured during the air strike. Shortly after the strike, the Nigerian Air Force through its spokesperson, Group Captain Ayodele Famuyiwa, apologised over the incident, and condole the families that lost their loved ones. A day after the incident, Federal Government sent a delegation, led by the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, to condole with the Government of Borno state and people of the state on the lives lost in the incident; and directed the Defence Headquarters to conduct thorough investigation. “The normal pattern for Boko Haram Terrorists to form up, before attacking innocent civilians and troops is to amass,” said Maj. Gen. John Enenche, Director Defence Information. “Hence, it appeared as a place that could equally be used for enemy activities. Th us, when mass movement was noticed through aerial satellite observation, it was taken for Boko Haram Terrorists activity, which needed to be neutralized with speed.” The five pages reports, which contained other issues that bother on recent clashes between the military and other security agencies, gave three recommendations, which it said could prevent future occurrence of such incidents. “All locations where humanitarian activities take place in the Th eatre of operation should be marked appropriately for ground and aerial identification in line with international best practices,” the report said. “Th e geographical and spatial coordinates of all areas of humanitarian activities within the Th eatre, should be provided to the Th eatre Command Headquarters.

“There should be timely and mandatory exchange of information between stakeholders, for all activities in the Th eatre of operation.” On the April 13, 2017, clash between troops of the Nigerian Army and the Police, both fi ghting insurgency, in Damaturu, Yobe State, where three Policemen and a soldiers lost their lives during the fracas, the report said the incident was caused by “an avoidable misunderstanding from exchange of words and later physical confrontation.”

It gave commended that “strict c e n t r a l i s e d o p e r a t i o n a l a n d administrative control should be exercised, on all security agencies serving under Operation LAFIYA DOLE. It also suggested that off enders in the incident are to be sanctioned appropriately, to serve as deterrence to other personnel in the Th eatre of operation; as well as outcome of all disciplinary action, should be communicated to other parties.” On the 30 May 2017 clash between troops of the Nigerian Navy and the Police l in Calabar, Cross River state, the report also hinged the cause of the incident on misunderstanding between a naval rating and a policeman that escalated.

Two policemen lost their lives and a naval personnel was injured, while property belong to the Nigerian Navy and the Police were destroyed during the incident. The report recommended that Nigerian Navy and Police should institute further investigation to identify erring personnel for sanctions. It also suggested that security services should periodically remind their personnel to always comply with standing regulations, at all times and places.

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