"The media also announced that about 3, 000 houses were burnt."
My people, I never believed that this small village have up to 3,000 houses.
When my reporter sent in the first report quoting 3000, I edited it to 300 houses!
Daniel Elombah
+44-7435469430
+44-2088087999
Every Nigerian that has something important to say, says it on www.elombah.com
From: Oluwatoyin Adepoju <ovadepoju@gmail.com>
To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com
Cc: naijaintellects@googlegroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, May 1, 2013 10:57 AM
Subject: [Naijaintellects] Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - BAGA MASSACRE: CISLAC CONDEMNS MILITARY BRUTALITY ON INNOCENT CIVILIANS
Defence HQ and NEMA submit preliminary reports on Baga to President Jonathan
The media also announced that about 3, 000 houses were burnt. However on the spot assessment revealed that though some houses were burnt, but they were certainly not up to the number quoted. It is pertinent to note that the houses in question are mostly thatched roof houses that could easily catch fire. It is on record that the terrorists employ the tactics of arson wherever they attack.
(h) There was also the allegation that aid workers were denied access to Baga. This is incorrect as the Red Cross and NEMA officials were already in the town before the Defence Headquarters team arrived. The officials of the two organizations interviewed by the team confirmed that no one prevented them from moving into Baga.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), in response to the President's directive, sent a team to Baga to pave way for immediate humanitarian relief. It reported as follows:
(a) That the agency identified and set up an Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Baga where 642 persons were registered as at April 25, 2013. More people who had earlier fled the community are returning due to improved security and the establishment of various IDPs by the Agency.
(b) To provide immediate succor to the affected persons, the agency distributed relief materials.
(c) That the 185 deaths being speculated in the media cannot be substantiated.
(d) The NEMA team visited the two graveyards in the town, and could only identify in both places, a total of 32 fresh graves.
(e) That a number of buildings and business premises were destroyed in the affected area, but the total number of houses in the town is far less than 1,000.
(f) That there is a lot of misinformation being peddled about the situation in Baga.
Reuben Abati
Special Adviser to the President
(Media and Publicity)
On Tue, Apr 30, 2013 at 5:14 PM, Oluwatoyin Adepoju <ovadepoju@gmail.com> wrote:
Shallow, biased propaganda, and little more.
It begins with a judgement which it does not try to justify:
"
"The failure of this government to sincerely handle the insecurity and protect Nigerians from violence orchestrated by merchants of violence through Bombings, Armed robbery, kidnapping, communal clashes, political violence, ethno-religious violence and rape, helps to escalate impunity in Nigeria. This is in spite of the huge resources allocated for security sector in Nigeria which runs into trillions of naira, but yet Nigerians face more security challenges.
Why does the author state that the govt is not sincere in its tackling of security?
Do these uncritical critics of the govt want the govt to wipe out the communities where the Islamic terrorists have integrated themselves into the local comuituies before they admit the govt is working hard to handle a problem greater than that faced by even the more developed Western countries in their struggle with Islamic or any kind of terrorism?
That is a different issue from the question of relief materials being allowed into Baga. The military claims they are delaying entry of relief because of security issues.
When dealing with a faceless and cunning enemy like the Boko Haram Islamic terrorists , even your shadow might need to be watched, for your own good and those of others.
Has this claim been investigated before condemning the military?
Thanks
Toyin
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