Borno Airforce Base Attack - Heads May Roll in Military Top Ranks

As the military picks the pieces from the deadly attack on the Air Force Base in Maiduguri and other military installations, indications have emerged that heads may roll if the alleged case of sabotage or negligence of duty is established over Monday's attack by Islamist insurgents, which left in its wake the near-total destruction of the air base and heavy casualty.


Terrorists suspected to be members of the outlawed Boko Haram had destroyed the 33 Artillery Barracks, burnt three aircraft and two helicopters among other military machinery, and razed down buildings. No fewer than 24 insurgents and two military men reportedly died in the incident.

President Goodluck Jonathan had held an emergency meeting with the Security Council where he expressed shock and disappointment with the service chiefs and ordered them to investigate and brief him on the factors responsible for the security breach in the ancient city despite the fact that the state was under emergency rule.

"President Jonathan is angry over the incident. He did not mince words while meeting with the Security Council immediately he got the report. He asked the NSA to summon the service chiefs to the State House and asked for the factors responsible for the dawn attack. The service chiefs suspect sabotage and they promised to unmask those responsible with a view to bringing them to book," a presidency source disclosed.

Corroborating the source, another security source, who expressed dismay over the incident, said since the creation of 7 Division of the Nigerian Army in Maiduguri, relative peace had been established and normal activities were being restored to Maiduguri until the Monday attack and said those responsible for the lapses would be sanctioned.

"You know that it was the Joint Task Force (JTF) that was maintaining law and order until they were replaced after they had lost the track, as people began asking for their withdrawal. This led to the creation of 7 Division that now takes full charge for the implementation of the state of emergency in the area. And they have been doing well until the Monday attack. This is why we are suspecting sabotage.

"How come that these people were able to penetrate all these installations without being caught? What has become of intelligence gathering? Who was supposed to be where that was not there? Who failed to do his work as assigned? Was there any insider's support or a unilateral action of the terrorists? These are some of the questions we have been asking and we need to know the answers and the answers will go a long way in preventing a reoccurrence."

Yesterday morning, the chief of defence staff, Admiral Ola Ibrahim, ordered a fact-finding team to Maiduguri to investigate the incident, and our source said the team is expected back in Abuja either today or tomorrow.
During the press briefing for the commencement of the Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebration yesterday, the supervising defence minister, Labaran Maku, corroborated our source about the fact-finding mission. He lamented the incident but disclosed that the military was on top of the situation.

During the question and answer session, the chief of defence staff declined speaking on the matter when the minister asked him if he had anything to add to what he had said. A top military officer later told our correspondent that "both the CDS and all the service chiefs are not happy with the attacks and those who are found culpable or negligence of duty would be made to face the music".

He recalled: "Those who had been indicted of sabotage or negligence of duty have been court marshalled and this would not be an exception. We were all hoping that the war against terrorism was over when this one happened."

allafrica.com