The President also explained
how the insurgents attacked military and aviation facilities in Maiduguri.
The
President disclosed this during an interview in Paris, France, on December 6,
2013, Saturday, shortly before his departure to Nigeria at the end of a two-day
summit on peace and security in Africa hosted by President
Francois Hollande.
Mr. Jonathan
said he gave the approval for the disbursement, following series of complaints
by local and international human rights groups on the conditions of barracks
which housed the detention camps.
He said he
was specifically concerned about a human rights report on the situation of Giwa
Barracks where some of the suspected Boko Haram detainees were kept.
“They were talking about some conditions in the barracks and because of
that, not quite long, I released N1
billion to make sure that they expand the facilities in detention camps,
particularly the camp in Giwa Barrack that they complained about.
“Boko Haram faithfuls that are arrested are being detained in some
numbers of places and not only Giwa barracks.
“Following complaints that I received, about that particular barrack, I
called the Chief of Defence Staff to go and use the army engineers to quickly
expand and improve the facilities so that people arrested will live under
normal human conditions,” President Jonathan said.
The
President further stated that reports of human rights abuses by the Joint
Military Task Force (JTF) were over-blown by the media, and most of the
reported torture and killings were carried out by the Boko Haram group and not
the military.
President
Jonathan also noted that the state of emergency declared in Borno,
Yobe and Adamawa States has greatly curbed the excesses of
the Boko Haram.
“Before the emergency rule, even Abuja which is at the centre of the
country was not safe. You could recall how the world became alarmed when the UN
building in Abuja was bombed and even the Police headquarters in Abuja and a
military market also were bombed; as well as a popular newspaper house.
“But with the declaration of state of emergency, we have been able to
get to a point that our challenges are now in Borno State and Yobe State.
“Though, we are still having this issue of occasional attack, but
definitely, the emergency rule has helped,” he concluded.
President
Jonathan disclosed that the recent attack by Boko Haram in
Maiduguri, which led to damage of five military aircraft by
the insurgents, proved that the sect has international backing adding that the
operations of the extremists had gone beyond the local militia group which it
was earlier classified.
“…This last attack in Maiduguri, they came with about 15 to 20 Hilux
vehicles and each of them was mounted with two to four rocket launchers. They
were over 100 and some of them were carrying assault rifles and other weapons.
The question then is that, where do they get the weapons?
“Definitely, these weapons cannot come from the locals, they are coming
from somewhere,’’ he said, in reference to the attack that.
The
President, who said that the government is already working on available clues
to unmask the external supporters of the sect, appealed to the international
community to assist the government in tracing the sources.
However,
Goodluck Jonathan noted that government has not foreclosed the option of
dialogue with the sect if that would end the insurgency. He added that while government
will keep the lines of dialogue open, the military will continue to carry out
its operations to protect the lives and properties of the citizens.
On the kidnapping of
a French priest in Northern Cameroon and reportedly taken to
Nigeria, the President said he was yet to receive a comprehensive report the
issue.
“Though,
we got the information, but I cannot give any categorical statement. But, we
know that the tradition of hostage takers is mobility because
when they are being tracked, they move,” he said.
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