DHQ says Boko Haram, not soldiers behind attack on Gov Zulum

The Defence Headquarters has refuted the claim by the governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum that last week’s attack on his convoy was carried out by soldiers.

Zulum’s convoy was attacked in Baga, a town in Kukawa Local Government Area of the state while on a trip to distribute food to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

As part of his reactions to the incident, Zulum had claimed that the attack was a complete sabotage from the military.

“As far as I am concerned, there was no Boko Haram… It was a serious shooting by the Nigerian armed forces while ‘residing’ in Baga. The situation is very embarrassing,” Zulum had said in an interview a day after the attack.

But the Coordinator, Defence Headquarters Media Operations, John Enenche, speaking when he featured on Channels TV Politics Today programme, on Wednesday, August 5, debunked the governors claim.

Enenche said, “It is an allegation which needed to be probed and also, I must say for such an allegation, it calls for worry on our part as the high command of which we went into action immediately.

“We investigated it immediately and the strategic level is cleared of that; operational level cleared of that, tactical level, cleared of that. We analysed the video: you will discover from the sound of the gunshots, it is not the professional weapons that we use.

READ ALSO: Fears of possible attack on Abuja, North-Central states as video reportedly shows Boko Haram in Niger State

“And of course, if you have operated with an enemy for some time, we call it enemy habit. From the analysis, it was purely that of the enemies, Boko Haram, in that area. From the tactics, and from the search conducted, it was the insurgents.

“So, our fears were allayed within 48 hours. It is not anything sabotage from the tactical, operational and strategic level, that is if you want to rate it from rank down to the person on the frontline.”

Amid consistent claims by the Nigerian Military that Boko Haram had been technically defeated and that what was remaining were remnants of them who were being flushed out by troops, the terrorists have continued to carry out attacks in North-East killing sometimes, not only civilians but also soldiers.

Millions of displaced people are still in IDP camps in the region.

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