EXCLUSIVE: How Nigerian Army Commander’s Negligence Resulted In Killing Of Two Soldiers By Boko Haram Explosives In Borno

Two Nigerian soldiers fighting against insurgency in Borno State, on Monday, died during an operation to retrieve their weapons abandoned by the Boko Haram terrorists, SaharaReporters learnt.
An army source explained that the death of the soldiers, attached to 14 Battalion, 5 Brigade, Borno State, resulted from a wrong order given by the Commanding officer while two other soldiers sustained serious injuries.

According to the source, the officer ordered the victims to enter into a vehicle already laden with Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) by the terrorists when the explosion occurred resulting in the death of two officers. 
He said soldiers of 145 battalion were currently unhappy with the situation particularly as their death was as a result of negligence on the part of the commander.
The source said the two deceased soldiers were already due for rotation from the frontlines in Borno but remained there as a result of the failure of the Nigerian Army to do the needful.
He explained, “The combined team went yesterday for patrol, the combined team of 145 Battalion and 5 brigade, they went to retrieve the weapons that the enemies abandoned.
“The journey was successful, but there was confusion; the commander who led the operation gave another order to these soldiers to go to where they were not supposed to go and this mistake cost two lives and one vehicle lost.
“They entered into a vehicle with IEDs; that’s how the thing exploded, two soldiers died immediately and two others got injured. It was a very painful one. The commander who was disobedient to a particular order has caused loss of equipment, loss of lives and injury to soldiers, we are not happy about the situation.
“It was the negligence of the leading officer that cost the lives of these people. Those who died are already due for rotation but army cannot keep to its promise.
“Among the two soldiers who died, one of them spent five years here without the hope of going anywhere, the other one had spent two years, this was his second time of coming to Maiduguri. He was trusting in God for a rotation but this is what lack of good leadership has caused.”