No case of hunger among troops in N/East — FG
The Federal Government has said that there is no case of hunger, starvation or begging among the troops fighting insurgency in the North East.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, disclosed this on Tuesday while briefing journalists on ‘the allegations of deplorable conditions of troops fighting Boko Haram in the North East’.
He said reports by an online media alleging that the troops live under deplorable conditions have grave implications for the security of the nation.
Mohammed said the allegations were taken seriously by President Muhammadu Buhari who ordered an investigation to determine the veracity or otherwise of the claims.
“The publication alleged that troops deployed in particular along Gubio Road and the Brig.-Gen. Maimalari Secondary School were begging for food to survive, were poorly kitted with some wearing slippers and were facing irregular/short payment of their allowances. The publication also reported non-serviceable equipment in the theatre,” he said.
But the minister said the allegations were false, noting that there is no irregular or short payment of allowances, while claims of poor equipment, inadequate kitting and accommodation were found ill-conceived and unfounded.
He said the troops deployed at Brig.-Gen. Maimalari Secondary School along Gubio Road were being fed centrally three times a day, and are kitted immediately after their training before they are deployed in the theatre.
“We are confident that we have contained Boko Haram. It is not like before when they have their own territories in the states, they only launch their attacks on soft targets and run back to the boundaries like Lake Chad where they are hiding,” he said.