Monguno Killings: ‘Civilian JTF Operated Against Security Instructions’

JTF SPOKESMAN, LT. COL. SAGIR MUSA

SAN FRANCISCO, September 03, (THEWILL) – The non-compliance with security instructions handed down by the Joint Task Force (JTF) in Borno State, Operation Restore Order,to the Borno youth vigilante group, a.k.a Civilian JTF, may have led to the huge fatality suffered by the group in Monguno, about 175 kilometres north of Maiduguri, the state capital, last Friday.

An ambush laid for the vigilante group by Boko Haram led to the killing of the 24 members of the group with 36 others reported to have gone missing in the fatal encounter.

The Borno JTF on Tuesday blamed the youth group for not adhering fully with security instructions before embarking on the deadly mission to hunt for Boko Haram insurgents in Monguno.

The spokesman of the JTF, Lt. Col. Sagir Musa, said yesterday in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, that the youths made a tactical error by embarking on the mission all alone without military support.

The youths, according to the report, having waited for the military to lead them to the camps of the sect in Monguno without success, proceeded on their own but were ambushed by the insurgents who were dressed in military camouflage.

Musa said the Nigerian Army was disturbed and concerned about the incident, noting that the military has commenced investigations into the killings.

“The Nigerian military high command is very much aware of the killings at Monguno and it is very disturbing; the Nigerian Army Brigade at Monguno has been mandated to carry out full investigations into the matter.

“We have always made it clear to the vigilante youth that they should not operate on their own but should always seek for military backing for security and appropriate guidance in the hunting of fleeing insurgents from here, Maiduguri. They (youth) are just supporting the security agencies with information; the real battle should be left in the hands of security agents.

“We will continue to appeal to these vigilante youths not to conduct any operation without armed military escort,” he said .