A journalist who is also the State Coordinator of Social Welfare Network Initiative, Jack Vince who champions the cause for the freedom of most northern states held under siege by Boko Haram terrorists, has brought to fore the shocking condition Nigerian soldiers fighting in the region face.
This it is believed is why the country is losing more soldiers to the war against terrorism.
According to the Vince, for "Nigerian troops in northern Borno, ordinary pure water is a luxury. They resort to drinking the potash (kanwa) filled water from wells or ‘rivers’."
Vince was forced to speak out about the sorry condition of the soldiers following the death of Lt Col. Muhammadu Abu Ali who was killed by Boko Haram terrorists during an ambush on Friday in Borno state.
While writing on the need for the government to adequately provide for the soldiers, he revealed some shocking details and hardship the troops are facing in the north east.
"Now that it is quite incontrovertible that terrorism has become an integral part of the system, seven uninterrupted years of arms confrontation between the state and the outlaws is enough time for security operatives to have had the requisite experience. Experience in terms of the right weapons, strategy, technology, intelligence and all it takes to significantly decimate the terrorists in truth and not through propaganda and press releases.
"I have said this before; for the umpteenth time, I’ll say it again. All units across military formations in Nigeria need to have at least 20 personnel trained abroad and effectively kitted as special forces to bring Boko Haram to its knees. The last set of special forces were trained by the last administration. The present administration must do the same or even more, if we genuinely desire to combat terrorism.
"Also, soldiers need to have their morale boosted by adequate provision of welfare packages, they need to be sensitized and made to feel like lions conquering the jungles of terrorism, they deserve to be adequately and effectively provided with ammunitions, new or functional assault weapons (AKs) with bayonets, personal pistols, combat knives, several pairs of uniforms, boots and helmets, military bulletproof jackets, night vision goggles, general purpose machine guns (GPMGs), rocket propelled grenades (RPGs), anti aircraft (AA) weapons, armoured personnel carriers (APCs), mine-resistant ambush protected (MRAP) military vehicles, artillery, and combat aircraft.
"Government can not continue to send our soldiers to battle fronts with infinitesimally little or absolutely inadequate fighting equipment." Vince wrote.
He added: "American soldiers once refused to advance in battle because they noticed that chocolate was missing in their rations. To the Nigerian troops in northern Borno, ordinary pure water is a luxury. They resort to drinking the potash (kanwa) filled water from wells or ‘rivers’."
