DEFENCE
No Secret Graveyards: Army Breaks Down Details of Heroes burial at The Frontlines
RE: SECRET MILITARY CEMETERY CONCEALS TOLL OF ISLAMIST INSURGENCY IN NIGERIA
The Nigerian Army has debunked a statement attributed to Joe Parkinson and released on 31 Jul 19 in “The Wall Street Journal” that the Nigerian Army has a secret cemetery that conceal toll of Islamist Insurgency.
The statement that was released by Deputy Director, Public Relations, Operation LAFIYA DOLE Colonel AD Isa stated that:
The attention of the Nigerian Army has been drawn to a mischievous Article titled, Secret Military Cemetery Conceals Toll of Islamist Insurgency in Nigeria, was written by Joe Parkinson and released on 31 Jul 19 in “The Wall Street Journal”.
The writer alleged that the bodies of dead soldiers are covertly transported from a mortuary, delivered by truck and laid by flashlights into trenches dug by infantry or local villagers paid a few dollars by shift.
It also alleged that soldiers were buried in unmarked graves at night in secret graves.
Similarly, it alleged that Nigerian Government last summer stopped reporting the deaths of soldiers in its fight against Boko Haram. Likewise, it claimed that the operational command holds the bodies of 1000 soldiers killed since the terror groups began offensive last summer.
Additionally, it reported on one Mercy Tamuno, who demanded to see where her husband was buried, and she was led to a spot marked with a plastic bottle with her husbands name written on it.
It further claimed that 2 soldiers from the late soldiers unit said the bottle was prepared to appease his wife.
Furthermore, the writer made some derogatory comments on rotation of troops, gruesome punishments to suspected jihadists and declining morale of own troops.
Having critically studied the allegations, it was obvious that the writer’s claims were baseless and intended to smear the good image of the NA and lower the moral component of troops in the ongoing Counter Terrorism and Counter Insurgency operations.
In this light, I wish to respond on behalf of the NA as follows:
Maimalari Military Cemetery is the only recognized place where burials are held in the Theatre.
The stretch of land where the cemetery is located and produce beyond belongs to the NA and not taken over from any person or group of persons as claimed.
This area like in other armies is secured to honour and give recognition to the sacrifices of officers and soldiers who paid the supreme price by laying down their lives for the peace, security and unity of the country.
In our own case, a hall of fame was also built in the cemetery to honour the fallen heroes and act as reference point for posterity.
Burial procedure in the NA is entrenched in the NA Administrative Policies and procedures.
The procedures is triggered by first notifying the higher headquarters and NOKs of the deceased personnel for coordination.
It is a command responsibility and attended by officers and soldiers of the unit within the Theatre of operations.
The timings for all burials in the Theatre have always been before the flags are lowered in the evening.
Maimalari cemetery is partitioned into 2 to accommodate Christians and Islam faithfuls.
The graves are also partitioned, and grave pegs placed to mark each grave. Hence, the claims that soldiers were buried in unmarked graves at night in secret graves is unfounded.
Suffice to state that all deceased are also honoured with the 21 gun salute in line with the ethics and traditions of the NA.
As such, one wonder how the firing could be done in secret contrary to NA traditions.
Certainly, commanders on their own cannot carry the corpses to the cemetery without the knowledge and support of the troops.
If this is done with the awareness of the troops, certainly it would not have been a secret.
Likewise, if not done with their knowledge, the commander on his own would not be able to drive the vehicle, carry the corpses, dig the graves and also bury the bodies without any support.
Thus, this allegation is not only worrisome but also questionable. More especially when we have the Governor, Service Chief, Principal Staff Officers from Service Headquarters, Commanders, NOKs, families and members of the press that did attend funeral ceremonies of fallen heroes.
On the allegation that Nigerian Government last summer stopped reporting the deaths of soldiers in its fight against Boko Haram is also disturbing.
Generally, events and lessons learnt from battles have shown that death in combat is inevitable.
In as much as the NA tries to reduce casualties in the battle against the insurgents, it still happens as one of the hazards of war fighting.
Obviously, when such occurrences happen, it is made known to higher headquarters to trigger burial procedures and processing of benefits.
This is also done with the consent of the NOKs and not in the secret. Soldiers also move in pairs or in groups, as such one wonder how the corpses could be isolated without the knowledge of their colleagues, which would have dampened their morale to fight or take orders from their superiors.
The claim that the operational command holds the bodies of 1000 soldiers killed since the terror groups began offensive last summer is just unbelievable.
The questions are where, when, why and for what reason would 1,000 bodies be kept in the hide without anyone seeing it or perceiving the smell.
Curtaining, this allegation further buttress the fact that the writer intends to smear the good image of the NA and the Government.
The report that one Mercy Tamuno, who demanded to see where her husband was buried, and she was led to a spot marked with a plastic bottle with her husbands name written on it is again unbelievable.
Interestingly, 13NA/70/9866 LCpl Adah Tamuno, whose wife; Mrs Mercy Tamuno claimed her husband was buried in the secret grave gave false report.
The late gallant (soldier was serving with 119 TF Bn at Metele and died during combat.
He was officially buried on 29 Nov 18 at the Maimalari Military Cemetery with proper military honour by daylight with the grave well marked, not with a plastic bottle, alongside his colleagues.
The last burial in the Theatre was that of Capt A Mohammed who was killed on 17 Jul 19 in an ambush alongside with Col EE Elemele and 5 others along Jakana-Benisheik MSR.
The Capt was buried on 18 Jul 19 at the Maimalari Military Cemetery in accordance with Islamic rites.
The burial was attended by the families of the deceased and other sympathizers.
The writer made some derogatory comments on rotation of troops, gruesome punishments to suspected jihadists and declining morale of own troops.
Suffice to state that the NA has a standing policy on the rotation of troops in the Theatre.
The last rotation of de-inducted troops was conducted on 28 Jul 19 and the troops are currently at the Nigerian Army School of Infantry, Jaji undergoing de-induction training.
The next batch of troops to be inducted are already at the Nigeria Army Special Forces Training School at Buni Yadi for induction training, after which they would be moved to the Theatre for deployment.
The pictures of the rotated troops are also available and hereby attached. In terms of the gruesome punishments to captured insurgents, one wonders why the writer decided to contradict himself in the article by reporting the immoral activities of the insurgents.
The NA is a professional Army and captured insurgents are treated in line with global best practices and in accordance with International Humanitarian Laws.
Above all, the morale of troops in the theatre remains high and not as reported.
It is obvious that the essence of the report is to distract own troops from maintaining the tempo in the ongoing operations.
The public is hereby advised to disregard the allegations as written by Joe Parkinson and released on 31 Jul 19 in The Wall Street Journal.
The NA remain resolute in its fight against the insurgents and will never be distracted by media propaganda.
The threat to the national security of our beloved country require that all hands are on deck to win the war against terrorism and insurgency.
Governor, Service Chief, Principal Staff Officers from Service Headquarters, Commanders, Next of kins, families as well as members of the Press attend befitting funeral ceremonies of fallen heroes with Gun Salute.
The United Kingdom has reaffirmed its commitment to deepening defence and security cooperation with Nigeria, with emphasis on military training, technology transfer and institutional capacity building.
The British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Pete Vowles, reiterated the commitment during a courtesy visit to the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen.
Olufemi Oluyede, at the Defence Headquarters, Abuja.This was contained in a statement by the Director of Defence Information, Maj.-Gen. Samaila Uba, on Tuesday in Abuja.
Vowles reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to sustaining existing security initiatives and exploring new areas of collaboration to address evolving regional and global security challenges.
He described defence and security cooperation as critical pillars of the longstanding bilateral relationship between both countries.
The high commissioner also stressed the need for a mutually beneficial partnership that would promote regional stability and strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to tackle contemporary security threats.
In his response, Oluyede highlighted the longstanding historical ties between Nigeria and the UK, noting that both countries had sustained productive defence relations over several decades.
He said the two countries had continued to collaborate in addressing shared security concerns.
The CDS emphasised the need to sustain and expand existing areas of cooperation, particularly in professional military education, technology transfer and institutional capacity building.
According to him, ongoing defence agreements and training programmes have contributed to improving the professional competence and operational capabilities of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
Oluyede emphasised that continued collaboration with strategic international partners remained vital to strengthening the military’s capacity to respond effectively to emerging threats.
He added that such partnerships would also promote greater self-reliance, institutional resilience and operational efficiency within the Armed Forces.
Both parties expressed optimism about the future of the UK-Nigeria defence and security partnership, reaffirming their commitment to consolidating existing achievements and exploring further areas of cooperation for mutual benefit.
By Tambaya Julius, Abuja
Nigeria and Rwanda are exploring new areas of military cooperation, including personnel exchanges, specialised training and local defence equipment production, as both countries seek to strengthen regional security.
The proposals were presented by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, during an official working visit to Rwanda, where he held talks with the Army Chief of Staff of the Rwanda Defence Force, Major General Vincent Nyakarundi.
In a statement, the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, said the discussions focused on expanding professional military cooperation and improving the operational capacity of both armies.
Shaibu proposed that two cadets of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) undertake a four-year training programme at the Rwanda Military Academy, with similar opportunities to be made available to Rwandan cadets in Nigeria.
He also called for collaboration between the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) and relevant Rwandan institutions to boost local defence production and encourage technology development.
Other areas identified for cooperation include logistics, Military Police training, pre-deployment preparation for peace support operations and the exchange of operational experience in counterterrorism and counterinsurgency.
The Army Chief said both countries could draw on their respective military experiences to tackle emerging security threats, improve operational readiness and promote stability across the region.
He further stressed the need for closer ties between DICON and Rwanda’s defence engineering and procurement institutions to support indigenous equipment manufacturing, technological advancement and greater self-reliance.
During the visit, Shaibu paid tribute to the courage and sacrifices of the Rwandan Patriotic Army, particularly the 600 personnel who defended Kigali during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
He described their resilience and patriotism as enduring lessons in national determination and military leadership.
In his response, Nyakarundi commended the Nigerian Army for providing specialised Military Police and Intelligence training to Rwandan personnel.
He called for expanded professional military education through institutions such as the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Army War College Nigeria and the National Defence College.
The Rwandan Army chief also welcomed the proposed cadet exchange programme and defence industrial partnership, describing the visit as a reflection of growing mutual trust and professional solidarity between the two armies.
The proposed initiatives are expected to provide a framework for deeper military engagement between Nigeria and Rwanda, particularly in training, defence technology and regional security cooperation
The Nigerian Army is strengthening its aviation quality management systems to improve flight safety, aircraft reliability and operational readiness.
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, stated this at the opening of the Nigerian Army Aviation Command Workshop on Aviation Quality Management Systems on Monday in Abuja.
Represented by the Chief of Standard and Evaluation, Maj.
-Gen. Thompson Ugiagbe, the COAS said the effectiveness of army aviation depended on robust quality management systems.“The effectiveness and sustainability of these capabilities depend not only on the availability of aircraft and trained personnel, but also on robust quality management systems that ensure safe, standardised and reliable aviation operations,” he said.
Shaibu said aviation operations required the highest standards of discipline, professionalism, standardisation and continuous improvement.
He said the systems would help identify risks, ensure compliance with approved standards and prevent recurring deficiencies.
“As Nigerian Army Aviation continues to expand its operational and technical capabilities, institutionalising such a system is essential to building a resilient aviation organisation and sustaining operational readiness,” he said.
The army chief noted that since the re-establishment of Nigerian Army Aviation in 2014, efforts had been made to develop the platforms, personnel, infrastructure and systems required to support land operations.
He said the workshop would provide an opportunity for participants to examine practical approaches to quality assurance, safety management, maintenance practices, documentation and standardisation.
Shaibu expressed confidence that the deliberations would produce actionable recommendations for institutionalising an effective quality management system across Nigerian Army Aviation.
He urged participants to develop sustainable measures to strengthen aviation safety culture, improve operational processes and enhance the reliability of aviation assets.
The Commander, Nigerian Army Aviation Command, Brig.-Gen. Al-Amin Ibrahim said quality management was fundamental to aviation safety, aircraft availability, mission effectiveness and combat readiness.
“For the Nigerian Army Aviation Command, quality is not merely an administrative requirement; it is fundamental to operational safety, aircraft availability, mission effectiveness, accountability and sustained combat readiness,” Ibrahim said.
He said the workshop was designed to establish a structured framework for standardisation, accountability, disciplined documentation, effective monitoring and continuous improvement across the Command.
The commander stressed that quality management should be embraced as a shared responsibility by all personnel involved in aviation operations.
“Quality must also be embraced as a culture. It is not the sole responsibility of an inspectorate or quality assurance office.
“Rather, it is the responsibility of every officer, soldier and civilian staff member involved in planning, flying, maintenance, logistics, administration, training and support,” he said.
Ibrahim said the Command must prioritise preventing deficiencies rather than waiting for them to occur before taking corrective action.
He urged participants to develop practical recommendations with measurable outcomes that could be implemented and monitored across the Command.
“Our emphasis must be on prevention through discipline, effective supervision, risk awareness, adherence to approved procedures, timely reporting and organisational learning,” he said.
Ibrahim added that the proceedings and recommendations would be compiled into a compendium to guide the implementation, monitoring and periodic review of quality management initiatives.
The five-day workshop, which began on Monday, ends on Friday, brought together stakeholders to strengthen quality management and promote a culture of operational excellence in Nigerian Army Aviation. (NAN)
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