Global human rights organisation, Amnesty International, has accused the Nigerian military of ignoring repeated warnings of impending attacks on the Borno towns of Baga and Monguno by Boko Haram and failing to take action to protect civilians.
In a statement on it official website, Amnesty International’s Africa director, Netsanet Belay, said that it was clear from this evidence that Nigeria’s military leadership woefully and repeatedly failed in their duty to protect civilians of Baga and Monguno despite repeated warnings about an impending threat posed by Boko Haram.
“These attacks are an urgent wake-up call for the Nigerian leadership, the African Union and the international community. It is essential to protect hundreds of thousands of civilians in north east Nigeria from Boko Haram’s continued onslaught,” he said.
Hundreds of lives would have been saved if the military hierarchy had responded to these requests with adequate reinforcements.
The human right group also said the military had advance warning that the insurgents were planning to attack the military base in Monguno before the January 25 attack.
“Long before the attack, soldiers based at Baga had informed the military headquarters of Boko Haram patrols and build-ups in the area. They also reported large civilian movement from towns and villages in the area which pointed to the threat of an attack.
“This attack was expected because Boko Haram warned the inhabitants of Baga and surrounding villages almost two months ago that they would be coming to attack the troops and the civilian JTF,” a military source told the human rights group.
The group also claimed the terrorists told inhabitants of Baga after the January 3 attack that their “next target is Monguno.”
“There was a warning. Everyone was aware. Boko Haram came on Wednesday last week and asked the villagers in nearby Ngurno to leave because they are coming to attack the barracks. The villagers told the soldiers,” a resident of Monguno told the rights group.
“Nigerian authorities have a responsibility to take all feasible measures to protect the civilian population, including by assisting with an evacuation of those who wished to flee, and transporting them to safer areas. They also have a responsibility to inform civilians of risks and dangers. According to witnesses, the local military did not make an effort to do this,” the statement said.
In a statement on it official website, Amnesty International’s Africa director, Netsanet Belay, said that it was clear from this evidence that Nigeria’s military leadership woefully and repeatedly failed in their duty to protect civilians of Baga and Monguno despite repeated warnings about an impending threat posed by Boko Haram.
“These attacks are an urgent wake-up call for the Nigerian leadership, the African Union and the international community. It is essential to protect hundreds of thousands of civilians in north east Nigeria from Boko Haram’s continued onslaught,” he said.
Hundreds of lives would have been saved if the military hierarchy had responded to these requests with adequate reinforcements.
The human right group also said the military had advance warning that the insurgents were planning to attack the military base in Monguno before the January 25 attack.
“Long before the attack, soldiers based at Baga had informed the military headquarters of Boko Haram patrols and build-ups in the area. They also reported large civilian movement from towns and villages in the area which pointed to the threat of an attack.
“This attack was expected because Boko Haram warned the inhabitants of Baga and surrounding villages almost two months ago that they would be coming to attack the troops and the civilian JTF,” a military source told the human rights group.
The group also claimed the terrorists told inhabitants of Baga after the January 3 attack that their “next target is Monguno.”
“There was a warning. Everyone was aware. Boko Haram came on Wednesday last week and asked the villagers in nearby Ngurno to leave because they are coming to attack the barracks. The villagers told the soldiers,” a resident of Monguno told the rights group.
“Nigerian authorities have a responsibility to take all feasible measures to protect the civilian population, including by assisting with an evacuation of those who wished to flee, and transporting them to safer areas. They also have a responsibility to inform civilians of risks and dangers. According to witnesses, the local military did not make an effort to do this,” the statement said.
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