Published 23rd Mar, 2024

By Emmanuel Uti

Soldiers deployed to Operations Safe Haven in Mangu Local Government Area, Plateau State, to preclude terrorist attacks are battling dire living conditions, FIJ can report.

One of the affected soldiers, who asked not to be named, told FIJ that he did not receive his upfront, which consists of N45,000 for allowance and N45,000 for Ration Card Allowance (RCA), until mid-February and that he had not got his upfront for March.

He further said that the soldiers were poorly fed and Lieutenant Colonel Obi, their commander, often shut them off whenever they complained about the poor state of their food.

“The food they offer is usually off. It is something our dogs cannot eat, and when they offer us food, it is without beef and water. Obi would always say, ‘You can only grumble, but una mind no go touch ground’. We are here not of our own accord but because we are one of the best, yet they aren’t treating us well,” he told FIJ.

The soldier further said that after an online publication on the experience of the soldiers in Mangu, officers from Abuja came to verify the claims in the publication and found out that they were true but failed to take action.

According to the soldier, the lack of action from the military police who came to inspect their living conditions further emboldened Lieutenant Obi to be disdainful towards complaining soldiers.

He also accused Lieutenant Obi of depriving people of their human rights by detaining civilians for up to a month in the guardroom on the ground that they are bandits or kidnappers.

“Everything he does is based on hearsay. He detains a lot of people without evidence. He sends his loyal soldiers to check-in points so that they can bring something for him in return,” he added.

Attempts to reach Major General Abubakar, Commander of the 3rd Division of the Nigerian Army in Jos, were unsuccessful. He declined to speak over the phone and requested a text message, to which he has not responded.

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