The Nigerian military has dismissed recent media reports by American-based Cable News Network (CNN) on soldiers expressing frustration in the fight against Boko Haram insurgents describing it as blackmail. Reacting to a video footage aired by the American-based station of interviews with individuals claiming to be Nigerian soldiers, the Director of Defence Information, Major-General Chris Olukolade, said that the Nigerian armed forces are fully committed and focused on defeating the insurgents and restoring peace to affected states.
“The CNN interview and report is an unfortunate effort to promote blackmail and smacks off an international conspiracy against Nigeria’s national security.”
Meanwhile, Amnesty International has also released satellite images conflicting with reports by the Nigerian military on the scale of destruction in the border down of Baga.
“In Baga, a densely populated town less than two square kilometres in size, approximately 620 structures were damaged or completely destroyed by fire.”
While, “in Doron Baga more than 3,100 structures were damaged or destroyed by fire affecting most of the 4 square kilometre town.”
Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters has since debunked claims that the casualty figure from the attack was up to 2000, saying instead that less than 300 lost their lives in the process.
Amnesty International however insists that its new images provide “indisputable and shocking evidence” that the casualties were indeed very many.The human rights organization noted that “Before and after images of two neighbouring towns, Baga (160 kilometres from Maiduguri) and Doron Baga (also known as Doro Gowon, 2.5 km from Baga), taken on 2 and 7 January show the devastating effect of the attacks which left over 3,700 structures damaged or completely destroyed. Other nearby towns and villages were also attacked over this period.
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