STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE:
DEFENCE HQ AND NEMA SUBMIT PRELIMINARY REPORTS ON BAGA TO PRESIDENT JONATHAN

President Goodluck Jonathan has commended the Military High Command, the National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA) and the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development for their swift response to his order for immediate action to investigate the incident in Baga, Borno state, assist and rehabilitate the victims, and make all necessary findings available to the government.

President Jonathan gave the commendation after receiving preliminary reports of the investigations carried out by the Military High Command and NEMA into the incident.

President Jonathan also welcomed the plan by the National Human Rights Commission to carry out independent investigations..

Thanking the Military High Command and NEMA for the reports, President Jonathan said that investigations must continue, and assured them of his fullest support. He further reiterated his earlier position that where any kind of misconduct is established, the Federal Government will not hesitate in ensuring that due sanctions are enforced and that justice is done.

The President said that what happened in Baga, was most regrettable and unfortunate. He reaffirmed his full commitment to doing all within the powers of the Federal Government to speedily end the intolerable threats to national security which have necessitated such confrontations.

President Jonathan will continue to work with the Borno state Governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima whom he conferred with last week, to ensure that the people of Baga receive every possible relief and support to facilitate their speedy rehabilitation.

In its preliminary report to the President, the Defence Headquarters stated as follows:

(a) That the military team involved in the confrontation with Boko Haram elements was the Multinational Joint Task Force. The MNJTF’s initial mandate was to conduct military operations in the Lake Chad Region and to facilitate free movement of the member states of the Lake Chad Basin Commission across their common border. The mandate was expanded in April 2012 to include the fight against terrorists. The Task Force’s activities are therefore legal and needs to be sustained.

(b) That whereas media reports averred that the incident of the alleged confrontation between the MNJTF and the Boko Haram Terrorists occurred on April 19, 2013; the incident actually occurred on Tuesday, April 16.

(c) On April 17, MNJTF troops carried out mop up operations at the scene of the attack and recovered the following items abandoned by the fleeing Boko Haram terrorists: rocket-propelled grenade launchers, rocket- propelled grenade bombs, AK 47 rifles, assorted ammunition, several improvised explosive devices and damaged Land Cruiser jeeps.

(d) That whereas it was alleged that 185 people were killed by the soldiers of the MNJTF in Baga, Borno state; the assessment team received a briefing from the Commander of the MNJTF on April 24, 2013, during which he stated that 30 terrorists were killed in action. However, six bodies were recovered in Lake Chad about 3 km away from the action spot.

(e) Furthermore, some locals were asked if they could take the assessment team to the mass graves where 185 people were allegedly buried, but the people denied knowledge of such graves. The Chairman of Kukawa LGA was approached on the same issue, he also did not know of such graves.

(f) The Chairman had earlier informed the team that Muslims do not bury more than one body in a grave.

(g) The media also announced that about 3, 000houses were burnt. However on the spot assessment revealed that though some houses were burnt, but they were certainly not up to the number quoted. It is pertinent to note that the houses in question are mostly thatched roof houses that could easily catch fire. It is on record that the terrorists employ the tactics of arson wherever they attack.

(h) There was also the allegation that aid workers were denied access to Baga. This is incorrect as the Red Cross and NEMA officials were already in the town before the Defence Headquarters team arrived. The officials of the two organizations interviewed by the team confirmed that no one prevented them from moving into Baga.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), in response to the President’s directive, sent a team to Baga to pave way for immediate humanitarian relief. It reported as follows:

(a) That the agency identified and set up an Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Baga where 642 persons were registered as at April 25, 2013. More people who had earlier fled the community are returning due to improved security and the establishment of various IDPs by the Agency.

(b) To provide immediate succour to the affected persons, the agency distributed relief materials.

(c) That the 185 deaths being speculated in the media cannot be substantiated.

(d) The NEMA team visited the two graveyards in the town, and could only identify in both places, a total of 32 fresh graves.

(e) That a number of buildings and business premises were destroyed in the affected area, but the total number of houses in the town is far less than 1,000.

(f) That there is a lot of misinformation being peddled about the situation in Baga.

Reuben Abati
Special Adviser to the President
(Media and Publicity)
April 3

Abati and his numerous unending lies! Set up an independent panel, not a report from the military high command! They alleged of military brutality yet the clueless president is singing praises of the same military report. Like seriously, is he this daft? Does he expect the military to indict or incriminate itself?

Is it today that JTF or MNJTF just started operations? Why has this type of allegation never made against them in the past? There is something definitely wrong this time around. Set up a full independent panel and quit this annoying propaganda code named preliminary reports.

Prof Corruption: Abati and his numerous unending lies! Set up an independent panel, not a report from the military high command! They alleged of military brutality yet the clueless president is singing praises of the same military report. Like seriously, is he this daft? Does he expect the military to indict or incriminate itself?

Is it today that JTF or MNJTF just started operations? Why has this type of allegation never made against them in the past? There is something definitely wrong this time around. Set up a full independent panel and quit this annoying propaganda code named preliminary reports.

Do you have a single evidence to collaborate the lies that 185 people were killed? No media house or activist has brought out any evidence to substantiate the lies so far. So what are you blabbing about? The Baga community leader has come out to say he is not aware of any such deaths. If Eko Ile can can go and take a picture of one fallen CCTV camera in Abuja and post it as the demise of the Abuja CCTV system, then of course anything can happen in todays media. The media has spoken without evidence but have gained public sympathy because of todays social media structure. The FG has decided to look into it and have found the report wanting and untrue. It is now the job of the media to prove the FG wrong with actual evidence, otherwise they should be tagged enemies of Nigeria.

The media is gradually becoming a big problem to Nigeria. May God help us. Kudos to the federal government. God bless us.

God's Mercy:
The media is gradually becoming a big problem to Nigeria. May God help us. Kudos to the federal government. God bless us.

especialy media houses from the western part of nigeria. In a village with less than one thousand thacth houses three thousand blocks houses where set on fire. If the media houses dont sell lies how will they feed thier family. How are they going to succed in bringing tinubu and fash into asorock. Finaly nigerians love to hear and read lies.

Nigeria media don't bother to investigate the stories they churn out, they depend on hearsay or on what another media house has said and make it very sensational so that the gullible nigerian public will buy their papers.

The Media Houses are known to blow stories out of porportion while we also know the FG have always been good at lying and hiding information from the masses. The truth will always prevail in the end.

Shame on BBC!

Shame on AFP!!

Shame on all the international media organisations that contributed to this grave mis-information!

Shame on Nigerian media organisations that broadcast unsubstantiated casualty figures!!

I always tell people that these western media organisations have sinister motives with regards to Nigeria. How did they arrive at a casualty figureof 185 deaths?

Almighty God will punish all the enemies of Nigeria

Meanwhille, it is obvious that the capacity of Boko haram to carry out deadly attacks at will has been severely decimated in recent months. We seem to forget easily but once upon a time, it was EVERY WEEKEND atleast one bomb blast or other forms of Boko haram attacks.

No doubt there are still cases of Boko haram gun attacks or occasional bomb attacks, but obviously not at the same INTENSITY and FREQUENCY . We only hope these attacks will continue to come down.

Maybe it was in attempt to rubbish the trend of decreasing attacks that ENEMIES of Nigeria, in collaboration with their foreign partners in EVIL, concocted the LIES and propaganda of the Baga incident. The phrase "significant escalation", concocted in the pit of HELL, was present in ALL the reports that was used to propagate the DEVILISH LIES and propaganda.

Its a shame that no single media house can come up with a credible report on the Baga saga.

There you have it, the local government chairman telling you muslims don't burry their death in mass graves and there is no mass grave in BAGA. We now know who is supporting BOKO HARAM.

Just some days ago, the fed Rep from that region claimed death toll rose to 228, and El-rufai condemned Johnathan for ordering investigation.
I really wonder what these guys think.

So all the crap news about not allowing red cross and Nema access into the area was a lie!!

Shame to bad people...o diana

eggheaders: http://mobile.saharareporters.com/press-release/nigeria-massive-destruction-deaths-military-raid-satellite-images-witness-accounts-rai

You are posting the same lies that have been debunked! There is no single evidence in that story to support the lies. Just hearsays from concoted eye witnesses. No pictures of massive destruction, just spurious claims of sattelite images. The village chief has now come out to say he is nott aware of such death toll.

It is amazing that the foreign media who regularly dare the odds to go into war zones to takes pictures and record videos could not go down to baga, even after the operation, to get any evidence but claimed they saw the destruction via satelite images while sitting in the offices abroad and drinking coffee. God will judge them!

Sincere 9gerian: Shame on BBC!

Shame on AFP!!

Shame on all the international media organisations that contributed to this grave mis-information!

Shame on Nigerian media organisations that broadcast unsubstantiated casualty figures!!

I always tell people that these western media organisations have sinister motives with regards to Nigeria. How did they arrive at a casualty figureof 185 deaths?

Almighty God will punish all the enemies of Nigeria

Above all, shame on all ACN/CPC paid media houses abi . . .

They were human beings!

I agree many of them tacitly supported Boko Haram! But some would have kept quiet BECAUSE of fear! And anyway, as long as they were NOT armed militant criminals, they did not deserve death.

I can only imagine if trigger-happy police came during an armed robbery raid to the area in which any of you live and kill members of your family because they weren't sure who was thief and who innocent resident - would you say this same crap you are spouting self-righteously?

You say you want "PROOF" - well, satelite pictures say a different story from what you posit - MANY MANY died and many were women and children too.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/africa/satellites-witnesses-counter-nigeria-denials-about-village-attack-that-killed-at-least-187/2013/04/30/d531261c-b1fd-11e2-9fb1-62de9581c946_story.html

Make all the noise you wish to, but remember - one day, another person will be in power (even if 10 years from now) and it may well be your (or child's or parents) turn.

BUT THEN, THIS IS NIGERIA AND YOU COULD SAY OPPOSITION PARTIES PAID FOREIGN COUNTRIES TO DISTORT SATELLITE IMAGERY

nuclearboy: They were human beings!

I agree many of them tacitly supported Boko Haram! But some would have kept quiet BECAUSE of fear! And anyway, as long as they were NOT armed militant criminals, they did not deserve death.

I can only imagine if trigger-happy police came during an armed robbery raid to the area in which any of you live and kill members of your family because they weren't sure who was thief and who innocent resident - would you say this same crap you are spouting self-righteously?

You say you want "PROOF" - well, satelite pictures say a different story from what you posit - MANY MANY died and many were women and children too.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/africa/satellites-witnesses-counter-nigeria-denials-about-village-attack-that-killed-at-least-187/2013/04/30/d531261c-b1fd-11e2-9fb1-62de9581c946_story.html

Make all the noise you wish to, but remember - one day, another person will be in power (even if 10 years from now) and it may well be your (or child's or parents) turn.

BUT THEN, THIS IS NIGERIA AND YOU COULD SAY OPPOSITION PARTIES PAID FOREIGN COUNTRIES TO DISTORT SATELLITE IMAGERY

How does that sattelite picture show 185 people dead and 2000 houses burnt? You mean somebody looked at those sattelite pictures and counted 185 dead people and 2000 burnt houses in a village?

You are an enemy of Nigeria. You and your gang are evil people trying to sabotage the system because of your selfish interest. You have failed, woefully!

Anybody harboring a terrorist is a terrorist.

Save us all the hassle and allow TV stations(not NTA) tour the areas that have been secured byt jtf,mtf

this is standard practise, the JTF should be using the media effectively to be on their side not just using recycled pictures and making press release of abu,baba,danladi arrested or killed without any evidence

6 JTF operatives have been killed, what happened to saying their names? Cant Nigerians mourn their heroes or put a face to these people fighting for us?

mekaboy: Anybody harboring a terrorist is a terrorist.

ODi...?

thelastPope:

How does that sattelite picture show 185 people dead and 2000 houses burnt? You mean somebody looked at those sattelite pictures and counted 185 dead people and 2000 burnt houses in a village?

You are an enemy of Nigeria. You and your gang are evil people trying to sabotage the system because of your selfish interest. You have failed, woefully!

You are obviously a paid hack who has lost his conscience! If I support Boko Haram in any way, let God, Satan and life fight against me ELSE you will suffer it ALL!

You call me an ENEMY of my country because I said innocent people didn't deserve to die such a violent death? Count on it - you will remember this conversation the day you die violently for what you were NOT invollved in or better still, when you watch those close to you die senselessly because those with guns didnt care or do the right thing! I am in the heart of the southwest but emphathise simplly because I have a relative who was victim of accidental discharge and know how such "mistakes" can alter life.

In Jesus Name, you too will know the pain of the Baga innocents one day, as Jesus remains Lord of all! Callous Animal!

Dis Guy: Save us all the hassle and allow TV stations(not NTA) tour the areas that have been secured byt jtf,mtf

this is standard practise, the JTF should be using the media effectively to be on their side not just using recycled pictures and making press release of abu,baba,danladi arrested or killed without any evidence

6 JTF operatives have been killed, what happened to saying their names? Cant Nigerians mourn their heroes or put a face to these people fighting for us?

Has any media house claimed they were prevented by the military from going to Baga?

The military does not use media houses. The media always come on their own. It is their job. They crave such news. The job of the military is to cooperate and provide necessary assistance, where requiresd. But the Nigerian media is useless and lazy. They prefer to sit in their offices and copy stories from the Internet. Inst it a shame that Nigerian media are quoting foreign sources for a news story that happened in Nigeria? Pleeeeaaaase!

nuclearboy:

You are obviously a paid hack who has lost his conscience! If I support Boko Haram in any way, let God, Satan and life fight against me ELSE you will suffer it ALL!

You call me an ENEMY of my country because I said innocent people didn't deserve to die such a violent death? Count on it - you will remember this conversation the day you die violently for what you were NOT invollved in or better still, when you watch those close to you die senselessly because those with guns didnt care or do the right thing! I am in the heart of the southwest but emphathise simplly because I have a relative who was victim of accidental discharge and know how such "mistakes" can alter life.

In Jesus Name, you too will know the pain of the Baga innocents one day, as Jesus remains Lord of all! Callous Animal!

You support lies and propaganda that actually benefits Boko Aram and still use the name of God? You have no shame nor conscience. I pity you!

thelastPope:

You support lies and propaganda that actually benefits Boko Aram and still use the name of God? You have no shame nor conscience. I pity you!

Pity? Face the mirror - its not me or mine that require such but you who laugh at the pain of innocent others.

As its written "full measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over shall men return unto you"!

Morons that revel in the pain of others

nuclearboy:

Pity? Face the mirror - its not me or mine that require such but you who laugh at the pain of innocent others.

As its written "full measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over shall men return unto you"!

Morons that revel in the pain of others

Shame on you!!! Evil Boko Aram supporter!

as I said above "if I support Boko Haram in any way....... ....."!

But you that support violence against innocent people simply because they are not your tribe or political affiliation, the Spirit World will give you as good as you wished on others.

Callous evil tribalist

Prof Corruption: Abati and his numerous unending lies! Set up an independent panel, not a report from the military high command! They alleged of military brutality yet the clueless president is singing praises of the same military report. Like seriously, is he this daft? Does he expect the military to indict or incriminate itself?

Is it today that JTF or MNJTF just started operations? Why has this type of allegation never made against them in the past? There is something definitely wrong this time around. Set up a full independent panel and quit this annoying propaganda code named preliminary reports.

can you please be silent if you don't have any reasonable contribution to make. Another empty vessel!

nuclearboy: They were human beings!

I agree many of them tacitly supported Boko Haram! But some would have kept quiet BECAUSE of fear! And anyway, as long as they were NOT armed militant criminals, they did not deserve death.

I can only imagine if trigger-happy police came during an armed robbery raid to the area in which any of you live and kill members of your family because they weren't sure who was thief and who innocent resident - would you say this same crap you are spouting self-righteously?

You say you want "PROOF" - well, satelite pictures say a different story from what you posit - MANY MANY died and many were women and children too.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/africa/satellites-witnesses-counter-nigeria-denials-about-village-attack-that-killed-at-least-187/2013/04/30/d531261c-b1fd-11e2-9fb1-62de9581c946_story.html

Make all the noise you wish to, but remember - one day, another person will be in power (even if 10 years from now) and it may well be your (or child's or parents) turn.

BUT THEN, THIS IS NIGERIA AND YOU COULD SAY OPPOSITION PARTIES PAID FOREIGN COUNTRIES TO DISTORT SATELLITE IMAGERY

Shut the fck up and grow a brain, you stup.id animal.

thelastPope:

Do you have a single evidence to collaborate the lies that 185 people were killed? No media house or activist has brought out any evidence to substantiate the lies so far. So what are you blabbing about? The Baga community leader has come out to say he is not aware of any such deaths. If Eko Ile can can go and take a picture of one fallen CCTV camera in Abuja and post it as the demise of the Abuja CCTV system, then of course anything can happen in todays media. The media has spoken without evidence but have gained public sympathy because of todays social media structure. The FG has decided to look into it and have found the report wanting and untrue. It is now the job of the media to prove the FG wrong with actual evidence, otherwise they should be tagged enemies of Nigeria.

if u must knw thr is a media blackout in Baga. JTF restrict media coverage and the whole village is heavy guarded so the question is why is the government restricting media coverage if thr is cover up plan...this is what Human Rights watch ve to say: http://www.hrw.org/news/2013/05/01/nigeria-massive-destruction-deaths-military-raid