There was public outrage on Tuesday over the
massacre of no fewer than 185 people during a clash
on Saturday between the militant Islamic sect, Boko
Haram and the Multinational Joint Task Force in
Baga, Borno State.
The condemnation came from the National
Assembly, the Northern Elders Forum, the Action
Congress of Nigeria, the Congress for Progressive
Change and Spain.
While members of the Senate decided after
hearing a motion on the clash to probe the
killings, lawmakers in the House called for a
judicial commission of inquiry.
In Kaduna, the Northern Elders Forum, after its
meeting with the Arewa Consultative Forum, feared
that the massacre could threaten the planned
amnesty for Boko Haram members.
Immediately after hearing a motion by Maina
Lawan, President of the Senate, David Mark,
directed the Committees on Defence, Police and
National Security and Intelligence to probe the
allegations that most of the victims were civilians.
The committees are to report back in two weeks.
Mark did not allow the motion to be debated on the
grounds of security implications and the sensitive
nature of the matter.
He said, "There are standard rules of engagement
and that do not include mass and extrajudicial
killings. The level of death is just too high and we
cannot accept that."
Maina had in his motion, said that Baga which is his
hometown, was in ruins following the onslaught.
He said, "My hometown of Baga is today in ruins,
with 180 to 200 human lives lost and numerous
others unaccounted for. About 2000 homes, 62 cars
and 284 motorcycles and tons and tons of foodstuff
were also destroyed.
"At this stage, I do not want to immerse myself in the
blame game of whether it is the multinational task
force or not. The task force or the insurgents
carried out the atrocities that bear the hallmark of
the Odi massacre.
"Whoever did it, that level of atrocity is
condemnable and is hereby condemned. I call for a
full scale investigation to unearth the truth as this
has become a recurring decimal in all such past
instances in Borno State."
Lawan told journalists after plenary that there was
no contesting the fact that the insurgents attacked
members of the task force.
"It is true that the insurgents provoked the event.
One soldier was shot, but the military went back and
came back reinforced and Baga was levelled," the
lawmaker said.
He said the killing of innocent people over the
action of a few miscreants was unfair.
In the House, members passed a resolution asking
President Goodluck Jonathan to set up a commission
of inquiry to investigate the clash.
A lawmaker from Borno State, Mr. Mohammed
Mungono, told the House that about 195 civilians and
one soldier were killed in the incident.
He informed his colleagues that trouble started
when Boko Haram members attacked the soldiers
and then infiltrated civilian population.
According to him, in an attempt to retaliate, the
soldiers fired in whatever direction the attackers ran
to, killing non-sect members in the process.
He noted that while the soldiers were in Borno State
to provide security, the aim could be defeated if they
were "not professional" in the manner they
conducted their operations.
The lawmakers then observed a minute's silence in
honour of the dead and adopted the prayers of
Mungono, calling for a judicial commission to
investigate the killings.
But, there was a mild drama when another prayer
asking the House to send a delegation to
commiserate with the families of the victims, elicited
murmurs of rejection from members.
Speaker Aminu Tambuwal had suggested that the
Deputy House Leader, Mr. Leo Ogor, would lead the
delegation.
In Kaduna, the Northern Elders Forum which like
the House members called for a commission of
inquiry instead of probe as promised by President
Goodluck Jonathan, said the killings were highly
uncalled for.
Its spokesman, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, said the latest
onslaught cast doubt on the planned amnesty for
members of Boko Haram.
According to him, an allegation that a soldier was
killed could not have warranted the Army to wipe
out an entire community.
He said,"We advised against it much earlier than
now. The fact that the President is saying there
should be a probe means he is not saying more than
he had said before.There have been so many
people who were mercilessly killed in their sleep
and their houses ransacked in the name of
searching for Boko Haram members.
"This certainly is not the way an operation like this
should be conducted. That is why we believe the
President need not order a probe. We need a
judicial commission of inquiry to unravel what has
happened in Baga. The commission of inquiry
should have expanded terms of reference for people
to come before it to raise issues that have been
happening in Borno and Yobe states."
Abdullahi said the National Executive Committee of
the ACF and NEF to deliberate on the state of the
nation.
He said, "We elders of the North came to ACF to
exchange ideas and views on the state of the nation
generally and the state of the north in particular.
Most of these soldiers that are posted to these areas
(Yobe and Borno states) are not only raw as soldiers,
but they are coming from totally different
backgrounds. ACF Publicity Secretary, Anthony
Sani, said the forum would meet today
(Wednesday) over the Baga killings.
The Commander of the MNJTF, Brig.- Gen. Austin
Edokpaye, has however claimed that only six
civilians were killed and not the 185 widely reported
by the media on Monday.
Edokpaye, in a three-paragraph statement he sent
to journalists in Maiduguri, also said that 30 thatch
houses were burnt as against 2,000 which Baga
residents told Borno State Governor, Kashim
Shettima, when he visited the community.
Edokpaye said the troops killed 30 Boko Haram
gunmen and arrested five others. According to him,
a soldier died and five others sustained injuries.
He said "Contrary to media speculation that
hundreds of houses were burnt, instead, it was the
explosion from Boko Haram terrorists'rocket
propelled grenade bombs, anti -aircraft guns and
sophisticated IED materials that triggered fire to
about 30 thatch houses in the predominantly fishing
community."
He also said that three rocket propelled grenade
launchers, two rocket propelled grenade bombs; four
AK 47 rifles, 435 assorted ammunitions, seven
quantities of IED material, and three Toyota Land
Cruisers, were recovered from the sect members.
The Borno State Government said on Tuesday that
'over 100 people' were killed.
In Lagos, the ACN criticised the Federal
Government's handling of the killings, calling it slow
and disrespectful to the sanctity of human lives
The party, in a statement by its National Publicity
Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the security
agencies must respect the relevant rules of
engagement in their onslaught against the sect.
This, it added, was necessary in order to spare the
lives and property of innocent civilians.
The party said it hoped that the probe ordered into
the tragedy by President Goodluck Jonathan would
not be another window dressing.
Also, the CPC said it was outraged by what it called
the wanton destruction of lives and property in
Baga.
Its National Publicity Secretary, Rotimi Fashakin,
noted in a statement that the attendant ecological
disruption and huge humanitarian calamity had
attracted so much attention.
But Spain condemned the clash and expressed
worry about weapons used by the group to fight
soldiers.
A statement made available by its Embassy in
Abuja, reads, "Spain expresses its serious concern
on the use on this occasion of heavy artillery which
indicates a qualitative increase in the escalation of
tension on the part of the insurgents causing at the
time more damage and pain among the population.
"Spain expresses its solidarity and support to the
victims and their families and hopes that those
responsible for these terrorist attacks are brought to
justice according to the law.
"In the same vein Spain supports the Nigerian
government in its flight against the terrorist
challenge and maintains its commitment to the flight
against any form of terrorism."
Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Commission
has said that it will discuss the Baga killings on
Thursday and Friday.
The killings, it said, would be among activities and
events its board would review.
The two-day meeting will be attended by the 12
members of the board which has the Executive
Secretary of the Commission, Prof. Bem Angwe, as
secretary.
Confirming the meeting , the NHRC Board Chairman,
Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, said, " It is true we are meeting
on Thursday and Friday. We will come up with a
position on that day".

Source: mobile.punchng.com/output.php?link=http://www.punchng.com/news/outrage-over-baga-borno-state-massacre/

The problem is one nigeria.

The military generals that forced one nigeria on the country, developed their pockets instead of developing the country.

The current president does not deserve a single day more than is four years term because of poor performance.

First God punish those bastards calling themselves elders of the north,BH is operating in your backyard with your blessing no need for hypocrisy
Also Nigeria's problem is we have never had control of our military since democracy came into play,we need to empower other security agencies with rigorous training and better equipment,we also need to make laws to curb their powers,cos for all I care they still control this country

Where is Benjamin Adekunle? Where is Murtala Mohammed? Where are the destroyers of anything Igbo during the civil war? Where are the jingle creators of Federal Radio singing about the destruction of Igbos?

They should come and defend the actions of these soldiers.

saintneo: Where is Benjamin Adekunle? Where is Murtala Mohammed? Where are the destroyers of anything Igbo during the civil war? Where are the jingle creators of Federal Radio singing about the destruction of Igbos?

They should come and defend the actions of these soldiers.

that question should be directed to the present chief of army staff- AZUBIKE IHEJIRIKA

saintneo: Where is Benjamin Adekunle? Where is Murtala Mohammed? Where are the destroyers of anything Igbo during the civil war? Where are the jingle creators of Federal Radio singing about the destruction of Igbos?

They should come and defend the actions of these soldiers.

Fools like you would always remain in the past.

The Clown:

Fools like you would always remain in the past.

In your username....

Back to the topic. I only meant that if we do not revisit our pasts, the origin of our hate; we cannot change the future. Let us be truthful within ourselves. We have never had respect for ourselves civilians or military.
Back in the past, people of the Eastern Nigeria were mascaraed with impunity, there were celebrations in the radio stations. Civilians, residing their homes, no allegiance to coup plotters were dragged out of their homes, killed and even ràpèd. There is yet to be an inquiry about these lives lost.

If the past atrocities are revisited, there will always be tendencies of the military to ignore its main mission (protecting the people) instead they will prefer to protect themselves.

lakhadimar: that question should be directed to the present chief of army staff- AZUBIKE IHEJIRIKA

you still don't get it, of what use do we have men boasting of their exploits in an uncivil war and how they will spill the last drop of their hypocritical blood to fight for one Nigeria when the same old fools gave away Bakassi Peninsular with out a gun shot and the same men keep mute when Boko Haram bares its fang .

The General Azubike Ihejirika can finish Boko Haram in a second like they did during Yaradua's regime if Boko Haram can stop the wicked and cowardly use of Innocent Human Beings as shield and if the people can differentiate between themselves and Boko Haram