Soldier leaks video,insists Military is killing more civilians than Boko Haram

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A Nigerian soldier filmed ongoing offensive against Boko Haram and spoke to Al-Jazeera. In his interview, he stated that more civilians have died than the targeted Boko Haram militants.

Al Jazeera has obtained the first images of the Nigerian army's battle against Boko Haram fighters in the northern state of Borno.


The pictures appear to show the bodies of Boko Haram rebels and many civilians, including women and children.

The soldier said he had seen almost 3,000 corpses.

The Nigerian army have been fighting the group since a state of emergency was declared on May 14 in areas where the fighters have been operating.

The Nigerian army has also released 58 women and children suspected of having links to Boko Haram.

Warning: Some viewers may find the images disturbing.

SEE LINK ABOVE FOR VIDEO

Al Jazeera

‘Video clips on civilian casualty is fake’

“The Defence Headquarters has noted the dissemination through the channels of Aljazeera Television reports alleging massive civilian casualties in the ongoing security operations.

“It wishes to point out that the video clip being shown on  the Aljazeera reports has no bearing whatsoever on the current reality in the operations areas.

“It is noted in particular that the footages being referred to as civilian casualties were actually pictures of the destruction perpetrated by the terrorists at the police stations and prisons in Bama, Borno State on 7 May 2013 when the insurgents attacked the town”.

Vanguard

he Defence Headquarters,DHQ, Assessment teams have been dispatched to Yobe and Adamawa to verify the reports on the conduct of security operations in the States.

It said the teams would ascertain the operations of troops since their deployment, following President Goodluck Jonathan’s declaration of State of Emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe in May, while the outcome of the report would be used for further strategic guidelines for the subsequent phase of the operations.

The statement said the DHQ had noted reports by Aljazeera Television, alleging massive civilian casualties in the ongoing security operation against Boko Haram.

“It wishes to point out that the video clip being shown on these Aljazeera reports has no bearing whatsoever on the current reality in the operations areas.

“The footages referred to as civilian casualties were actually pictures of the destruction perpetrated by the terrorists.

“The destruction occurred at the police stations and prisons in Bama, Borno State, on May 7, 2013, when the insurgents attacked the town,” it said.

The statement also said that the soldiers participating in the Special Operation on Boko Haram had remained restricted to operational areas.


 
“They could not have been available to grant the purported interview shown on the clips. The identity attributed to the interviewee is therefore doubtful.’’

It stressed that the DHQ had alerted the public on the desperate attempts being made or put together to discredit the ongoing, well planned security operations.

“It is unfortunate that the medium of Aljazeera is again being used for this unfortunate design.

“Thus the DHQ once again affirms that there has been no collateral damage to civilian lives and property in the scale presented by Aljazeera since the operation began.’’

It said, “The unfair report must be discountenanced as part of the mischief aimed at undermining Nigeria’s security, territorial integrity and sovereignty by some foreign media and individuals.’’

The statement also said that more of the dirty sides of the Boko Haram insurgents’ life styles were being revealed as troops continue to stumble on strange and bizarre objects such as used and unused condoms.

“Others are charms and amulets of various shapes seen in the captured terrorists’ camps.

“Syringes, test tubes and hand gloves are usually found in the rubbles of most of the destroyed camps.

“Chemicals and materials for producing Improvised Explosive Devices (IED), narcotics of all types are also common features as troops combed through camps in Sambisa forest, New Marte, and others.’’

It added that vehicles and electronics believed to have been stolen from various parts of the country were also found abandoned or destroyed in the camps or the escape routes of the insurgents.

“Most of these items were either destroyed or set on fire as the terrorists fled in different directions.”

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