Amnesty International Says Army Failed To Act Despite Baga Attack Warning

                  Human rights organisation, Amnesty International on Wednesday said there was evidence to show that the Nigerian Army had been warned of the attacks against Baga and Monguno towns, in the north eastern region of the country, by Boko Haram insurgents who have held the region to ransom.

According to Amnesty International, the evidence revealed that “the Nigerian military were repeatedly warned of impending Boko Haram attacks on Baga and Monguno which claimed hundreds of lives, and failed to take adequate action to protect civilians, said Amnesty International”.

Citing a senior military source the organisation, which had earlier released satellite images showing the level of devastation in Baga, said “commanders at the military base in Baga regularly informed military headquarters in November and December 2014 of the threat of a Boko Haram attack and repeatedly requested reinforcements. Other military sources and witnesses have told Amnesty International that the military in Monguno had an advanced warning of the Boko Haram attack on 25 January”.

The leader of the terrorist group, Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau, in a recent video claimed responsibility for the Baga massacre, which claimed several lives earlier this month.

Reports have it that as many as 2,000 people died in the raid but Nigeria’s government has disputed, putting the toll at just 150 people.

Shekau brazenly boasted that “We killed the people of Baga,” in the 35-minute video, quoted by AFP news agency. He also challenged the Armed Forces to attack his group.

Amnesty International’s Africa director, Netsanet Belay did not spare Nigeria’s Army noting that “it is clear from this evidence that Nigeria’s military leadership woefully and repeatedly failed in their duty to protect civilians of Baga and Monguno despite repeated warnings about an impending threat posed by Boko Haram”.