The Defence Headquarters, has on Monday, faulted the report by the United Nations, UN, which claimed that 110 residents of Borno State, were killed by Boko Haram insurgents, on Saturday, in Jere Local Government Area,
The Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. John Enenche, said that as at Monday morning, 43 corpses of Rice Farmers were recovered from the scene in Zabarmari area of the State.
The Boko Haram terrorists were reported to have tied up the Farmers, who were working on rice fields, before slitting their throats.
On Sunday, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Edward Kallon, disclosed that at least 110 persons died in the horrific attack, as against the 43 reported by the Nigerian government.
Reacting on Monday morning, Enenche said that the troops counted the corpses together with the Locals, and only 43 deaths were recorded.
He spoke while featuring on Channels Television’s ‘Sunrise Daily’ programme.
His words: “I knew it (the issue) is going to come up, particularly because it is coming from the United Nations, and not a source that does not want to be identified. This is a source that has identified itself that 110 specifically (were murdered).”
Enenche explained that he contacted the Field Commandants, and “they gave me a synopsis of what happened. When the Governor was to go (to the scene), and after they had recovered the dead, the troops had to move in there, and they counted 43.
“Of course, some people ran into the bush, and they started coming back and trickling in.
“As at 2pm yesterday (Sunday), I called them and they got back to me at about 7pm yesterday, still counting, looking if they will recover (more corpses). We call it Exploitation after Action Review.”
The Army Coordinator stated that the search for more remains of victims is still on, but insisted that 43 corpses were retrieved from the scene.
“Probably we may count up to the figure he (Kallon) gave in the future, but as it is now, what we have counted with the locals is still 43, and we are hoping that we do not get beyond that.
“This is the real situation. I did not sleep, we had to follow it, because this is very relevant coming from the United Nations.”
More news later…
