Some officers of the Nigerian Army involved in the ongoing operations against the Boko Haram insurgents, have written an open letter to President Goodluck Jonathan indicting a general and president’s Aide-De-Camp.

The missive entitled, “State of operations In the North East as observed by some concerned officers”, was circulated yesterday to some online media outfits.

However, the authorities of the Defence Headquarters, DHQ and Army Headquarters, AHQ refused to respond to Sunday Mirror’s inquries concerning matter, rather appeared to prefer silence.

The unnamed officers, who said they were participating in anti-insurgency operations code named “Operation Zaman Lafiya”, gave a detailed account of the series of problems bedeviling their operations in the North East.

They want the President to investigate the alleged massive looting of funds meant for military operations, even as they urged President Barack Obama of the United States and the United Nations Secretary General, Mr. Ban ki Moon to pressurise President Jonathan to engage in fighting a more focused war on Islamist terror.

The officers, who allegedly authored the letter, said they were initially reluctant to air their grievances in the open in order not to boost the morale of insurgents, but added that troops fighting Boko Haram terrorist Islamist sect, that has seized a significant portion of territory in Nigeria’s northeast zone, have been equipped poorly.

In addition, the officers allegedly accused Jonathan of condoning the looting of funds meant for the war against the insurgents, specifically alleging that “Chief of Training and Operations, Major General J.A.H. Ewansiha”, was deeply involved in looting the security funds.

In addition, the letter alleged that President Jonathan’s aide-de-camp had illicitly acquired stupendous wealth that has enabled him to buy up expensive homes in Nigeria and abroad.

The letter further alleged that top military officials had intimidated an officer who wrote a letter to the president to deny authorship of the document, which exposed massive corruption in the anti-terror operations.

The full text of the said letter reads:
“1. We the concerned officers participating in the North East Operation Zaman Lafiya do resolve to write this letter for the following reasons:

a. To save our country Nigeria.

b. To stop the bloodshed of innocent officers, soldiers and civilians in the North East.

c. To appeal to the president of the United State of America Mr. Barrack Obama, United Nation Secretary General Mr. Banki Moon and other world leaders to as quickly as important to intervene and urge President Goodluck Jonathan to do the needful in addressing the issue of insurgency in Nigeria especially in the North East.

2. As members of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, it is our responsibility to defend our country Nigeria, which we are ever ready to do so as the call arises. But firstly, the civil authority has the first responsibility to equip us effectively to enable us to carry out such task. This is common practice all over the world. As professional officers and soldiers, we did not want to go public with details of our frustrations concerning this operation because doing so will boast the moral (e) of our enemy. But the persistent neglect of our plight made us to do otherwise.

3. It is well known fact that of recent, a commanding officer from this theater of operation wrote a letter to our President intimating him of a few out of numerous problems affecting us in this operation which we believe Mr. President will address. It appears Mr. President has chosen to ignore it because none of his relations are among us. In this 21st century, how can an accused [be] a judge of his own case? That letter clearly exposed the rot within the military authorities concerning this operation. This is because, the Army authority that was accused of poor administration in that letter, set up a kangaroo investigation that harass[ed], intimidate[d], and forced the officer to deny the authorship of the letter.

Adapted from Sunday Mirror

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