Maiduguri Airport: Army explains rowdy behaviour of soldiers

The Theatre Command of Operation Lafiya Dole on Monday have explained why soldiers were shooting into the air and engaging in a riotous display at the Maiduguri Airport.

Soldiers fighting the insurgency in the North East were at the weekend alleged to have protested against their posting and disrupted operations at the Maiduguri International Airport.

According to reports, the troops were protesting their deployments from the state capital to Marte Local government instead of back to their families after spending four years at the frontline.

In a statement signed by Colonel Onyema Nwachukwu, the Deputy Director Public Relations of the Theatre Command operation, he added that however calm has long returned to the region as the matter is being addressed.

Nwachukwu said that the some troops started displaying a riotous reaction when they heard that they were going to be deployed.

He also added that a few unscrupulous troops protested during the redeployment exercise at the Maiduguri Airport, following a directive to review troops' deployment in Maiduguri metropolis in a bid to reinvigorate the security architecture of the city.

He said that the redeployment became expedient after a recent assessment of the security situation by the Theatre Command.

The statement read in part, “Regrettably however,  a few of the troops who had misunderstood the development and erroneously assumed it was going to negatively affect their rotation from the theatre of operation became agitated and reacted by firing into the air."

“Calm has however been restored, as the Theatre Commander, Major General Abba Dikko has promptly taken charge of the situation after addressing and admonishing the troops”.

“The Theatre Command undoubtedly considers this ugly incident quite regrettable and appropriate measures are being taken to forestall a recurrence."

“Members of the general public are please enjoined to remain calm and go about their normal activities as the situation has been put under firm control”.

Source:https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/maiduguri-airport-army-explains-rowdy-behaviour-of-soldiers-265558.html