Shettima Commends Troops While Army Sacks 200 Soldiers

Governor Shettima visits Bama

Kashim Shettima, the Borno state governor, on May 27, Wednesday, visited Bama and expressed shock over the level of damage caused by Boko Haram insurgents.
According to The Nation, the politician urged the incoming administration and international donor agencies to help rebuild the destroyed communities, for the displaced people to return home.

He also commended the military over fighting boldly against terrorism in the northeast.

“I am here to condole the troops and the people of Bama over the spate of killings and destruction of our communities by insurgents. We will deploy all resources to rebuild the destroyed houses.

“I have gone round the town and no government structure is still standing, 90 per cent of people’s houses, shops, places of worships, banks have been destroyed. But I can assure you that we are here to assess the level of damage so that government will rebuild them to allow our displaced people come back and continue their normal lives.

Shettima in Bama badly affected by Boko Haram insurgency

We have brought in surplus of food items for our troops and men of the civilian JTF who have sacrificed their dear lives for progress of our state and the northeast region.

“I want to seize this opportunity to appeal to Federal Government under the incoming administration of Gen Muhammadu Buhari, international donor agencies and philanthropic organizations to come to our aide so that we can rebuild all our destroyed communities for people to go back to their homes.”

Meanwhile reports reaching us from Jos, Plateau state, say that the army has dismissed about 200 soldiers over laxity and cowardice.

However, the army officials deny the figure provided adding that no dismissals were pre-planned.

Vanguard quoted Colonel Sani Usman, the acting director of army public relations, as saying:

“On disciplinary action being taken against some soldiers for cowardice and desertion in the face of enemies, especially as regards the fight against Boko Haram terrorists, most of the stories and figure being peddled are far from accurate.

“Disciplinary processes or trials are never done with prior intention to dismiss anyone in the Nigerian Army. The only intention is to dispense justice and even at that, due process is normally followed.”

One of the dismissed soldiers, Agunloye Sunday, lamented over the “untrue” and “malicious” accusations by the army officials. He narrated that their weapons were outdated and could not even be used.