Boko Haram: Ben Bruce reveals why 150 policemen dumped counter-insurgency training

 

• Military, police deny 150 policemen ‘fleeing’ training

The Senator representing Bayelsa East constituency in the National Assembly, Ben Murray-Bruce, has rationalised the reported absconding of over 150 police officers drafted for counter-insurgency operations in the northeast.

According to him, it was common sense for the police personnel to feel ‘demotivated’ towards the fight against Boko Haram, having witnessed how the Federal Government purportedly neglected the families of heroes who lost their lives battling terrorists in the region.

Buttressing his point on Twitter, the lawmaker cited the recent funeral of troops who died in Metele fighting Boko Haram as an instance, saying neither the President nor his representative was present as they were laid to rest.

He tweeted: “Why won’t the policemen run? If they die what will happen to their wives and children?

“Look at how we buried the hero soldiers who died at Metele. The President did not attend. He was not represented. Those policemen were watching. Are they fools? Do they want the same treatment?”

However, the Nigerian military has offered a clear explanation on a news report that over 150 among the 2000 Policemen deployed to fight Boko Haram insurgents in the North East, absconded from their counter-insurgency military training exercise.

Brigadier-General A. S. Ishaq, the Coordinator Nigeria Police Force for Operation Lafiya-Dole (NPFOLD), in a chat with PRNigeria, said there was nothing like policemen absconded, but just a case of some recalcitrant personnel leaving their training base for a reason which was not cogent.

The top Army officer added that the special training, which should have been concluded last Friday, was extended for one week to enable the Policemen to partake in all the requisite military combat exercises before they depart the camp.

“The Policemen didn’t abscond as alleged in media reports. What happened was that some of the Police officers insisted on going for the Christmas holiday. But in line with standard military operations, there was no way officers undergoing special training on a combat-operation, could leave their base when the training exercise has not rounded up.

“So, we refused to grant them permission. However, the unruly ones among them left our Special Forces School at Buni-Yadi, venue of the training. But thank God, the unruly personnel were tracked at Damaturu, the state’s capital. Right now, some of them have been brought back to the School,” he said.

Meanwhile the Nigerian military has reacted to reports that over 150 among the 2,000 policemen deployed to fight Boko Haram insurgents in the North-East absconded from their counter-insurgency military training exercise at the Special Forces School, Buni-Yadi, Yobe State.

Brigadier-General A. S. Ishaq, the Coordinator of Nigeria Police Force for Operation Lafiya-Dole (NPFOLD), in a chat with PRNigeria, said there was nothing like desertion, but just a case of some recalcitrant personnel leaving their training base for a reason which was not cogent.

The top Army officer added that the special training, which should have been concluded last Friday, was extended by one week to enable the policemen partake in all the requisite military combat exercises before they depart the camp.

He said: “The policemen didn’t abscond as alleged in media reports. What happened was that some of the police officers insisted on going for the Christmas holiday.

“But in line with standard military operations, there was no way officers undergoing special training on a combat-operation, could leave their base when the training exercise has not rounded up.

“So, we refused to grant them permission. However, the unruly ones among them left our Special Forces School at Buni-Yadi, venue of the training.

“But thank God, the unruly personnel were tracked at Damaturu, the state’s capital. Right now, some of them have been brought back to the School”.

General Ishaq disclosed that the counter-insurgency training’s Passing-Out-Parade for the personnel will take place this Friday.

Reacting, the Police Force Public Relations Officer (PRO), Acting DCP Jimoh Moshood, said that all the 2,000 policemen deployed have reported and are on the ground on combat operation prosecuting the war against insurgency along with the military.

In a press release he signed, the police spokesperson added that the deployed Police personnel are in high moral and spirit for the operation.

The Force spokesperson added that: “This story (of absconding) was investigated and it was found out not to be correct, there is no reason whatsoever that Police personnel deployed for the operations in the North East would abscond.

“The Police Mobile Force (PMF) personnel have been engaged actively in the front line along with the Military in the fight against the Boko Haram terrorist group since the inception of the insurgency.

“These 2,000 police officers recently deployed are in addition to several thousands of Police personnel already engaged in the fight against the insurgency with the military in the North East.

“The personnel deployed are in high morale and high spirit in the operation. The Force sees the story as a deliberate attempt to promote insurgency and dampen the morale of officers and Men of the Police and other services who on daily basis lay down their lives to protect our dear nation.”