Hardship Hits Nigerian Troops in Mali As Officers Solicit Food From Locals
The condition of Nigerian troops in Mali is quickly sliding from bad to worse as inadequate supply of provision is forcing the contingent to solicit food from locals, PREMIUM TIMES can exclusively report.

According to a reliable defence source who asked not to be named, the Nigerian contingent solicits food and handouts under the guise of "courtesy calls" to community leaders in Mali.

After one of such courtesy calls on Monday, the troops received a handout of a cow and 50 bags of rice from the Prefect of Tuban in Banamba region.

"Our officers and men have resorted to begging locals for cows and rice for survival," said the official.

"This is done by way of courtesy calls. They invite the prefects of the locals to our camp for visits. The prefect of Tuban (Banamba Region) visited today (Feb 11) with a cow and 50 bags of rice."

Last week, PREMIUM TIMES exclusively reported that the initial 162-soldier contingent is suffering severe food shortage and a dip in morale as troops were forced to skip meals.

Our defence insiders said there has been no improvement in the provision of food.

However, the Director for Defence Information, Mohammed Yerima, a Brigadier General in the Army, told our reporter over the telephone that any insinuation of food shortage is not true.

"We have provided the contingent with enough food and fund to last them for the initial three months. Is Nigeria not bigger than that?" he said.

Still in Bamako

Contrary to information from the Ministry of Defence that Nigerian troops are involved in combat and have advanced northward toward the city of Gao, military insiders said the Nigerian contingent is still stationed at the Force Headquarters in Bamako.

We learnt that shortage in armaments has prevented the deployment of soldiers to combat positions. And many soldiers are yet to be paid their monthly sustenance allowance.

Sending troops in piecemeal

As of Monday, there were 210 soldiers in Mali with 70 more billed to join them on Tuesday.

President Goodluck Jonathan promised to deploy 1,200 soldiers as part of Africa-led International Support Mission to Mali (AFISMA) but is having great difficulty meeting up with that number.

Mr. Yerima said the figure we cited is incorrect. But our sources dismissed the denials, saying Mr. Yerima's job is to make the Nigerian military look good.

"We have over 500 troops in Mali and Niamey (Niger Republic)," he said.

Since we are not reporting on Niger, we had expected him to tell us how many soldiers Nigeria has on ground in Mali.

The Boko Haram insurgency, Niger Delta unrest, and the country's commitment to the African Union Mission in Darfur, Sudan, have over-stretched the Nigerian Army, senior military sources said.

http://www.allafrica.com/stories/201302130996.html/

Am not suprised. Anything that invoves taking care of a large number of people in Nigeria is always not properly done. With examples ranging from school boarding conditions to the wider neglect of the Nigerian masses.

Is a lie

Na lie

I won't be surprised if some top Army Officials are diverting the cash for the provisions.

May be abati or okupe will be on air tomorrow to tell us what we must hear.

It must be that *foolish ignorant* one who was doing acrobats in front of the camera. I shall proceed to find that video.


Here it is



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KRX2i8RV5g

Blatant Lie!

Very fat useless lie. The ones here in Nigeria are not begging for food it is the ones sent outside that would beg?
Nonsense useless premium times.
Food shortage and village heads are doling out 50 bags of rice and full cows. Nonsense article.

Someone tell me what the story was about again? I did not even bother reading because from the toic heading... LIES...Did I say that enough?

LIES, LIES, LIES

Haba

Propaganda. Who is spreading this ish?

Go there go give DEM food nah

But they were just recently deployed.how possible?

Which kan Balant lie be dis na, Fank God Nigerians clearly know when somfin is true or it's a lie.. We know wot our Govt can do or wot dey can't. Dey don't joke with the Military.

This is not the NPF (Nigerian Police Force)

What happened to the N7billion.

When will our leaders be truthful for once.

Sometimes, i wonder what will make a man to go to the extent of telling lies to denigrate very symbols of his country's existence- the military in this case. Don't be surprise that this is part of 'opposition'