**JUST IN** Baga Attack Senate Report Out. **Death toll and number of houses destroyed in the attack was grossly exaggerated. **the actual physical count of 155 houses burnt as against the figure of 2000 from Gov Shettima, 3,059 from district head and 4,000 from Senator Maina Lawan.” Senate report says Baga death toll exaggerated by Leader of the Boko Haram sect Imam Abubakar Shekau hails from Niger Republic, according to the report of a Senate joint committee that investigated the deadly violence in Baga town of Borno State in April. The Senate on April 23 mandated its committees on Defense and Army, Police Affairs, and National Security and Intelligence to investigate the Baga violence in which local leaders accused soldiers of killing 185 people and destroying more than 2,000 homes. Military authorities had denied conducting indiscriminate killings, saying only 37 people died in a gun battle between soldiers from the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) and Boko Haram fighters. In its report, the Senate committee disputed the Baga death toll given by both sides but failed to provide a specific figure. “The death toll of 185 was exaggerated but there may be more than 37 deaths. This is possible as there is no documentary evidence from either the natives or the military to ascertain figure quoted,” the report said. The report also tried to exonerate the military, saying the incident was caused by Boko Haram who pulled out an army officer from a bus and killed him on March 29, and also killed another soldier on April 16. It said MNJF troops sent 70 soldiers to repel the Boko Haram fighters in Baga on the night of April 16, resulting in a shootout that caused “some deaths.” But the report said the military carried out a hasty operation and this might have contributed to the level of destruction. “The operation to flush out the Boko Haram members between 20:30HRS and 2100HRS on April 16, 2013 was carried out hastily. The MNJTF should have cordoned the area till day break and carry out house to house check; this would have reduced number of casualties and damages,” the report said. On the destruction of houses, the report also said the “quantum of destruction of houses, vehicles and motorbikes were exaggerated. There was actual physical count of 155 houses burnt as against the figure of 2000 given by Governor Shettima, 3,059 from district head and 4,000 from Senator Maina Lawan..” Shettima, the report said, classified Boko Haram into three categories: “criminal elements that send text messages to individuals to extort money, political Boko Haram who sought to advance their political interstate and the real Boko Haram which are made up of moderates that are prepared to dialogue with government and the crazy religious elements who are die hard and are not ready for compromise.”
Posted on: Wed, 26 Jun 2013 16:16:35 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015