Boko Haram: 277 soldiers languish in Jos detention facility

More than 277 soldiers arrested for various offences in the ongoing war against insurgency by Boko Haram in the North-East are currently languishing at the Maxwell Khobe cantonment, Rukuba Barracks detention facility of the 3rd Armoured Division of the Nigerian Army in Jos, Plateau State. SUNDAY PUNCH gathered that the soldiers were arrested at various times in the last six months in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, for various offences and are being detained by the Military Police in the barracks. Sources at the barracks told our correspondent that the soldiers were being detained in dehumanising condition without trial for the past six months. It was gathered that some of the soldiers had yet to know the offence for which they were arrested, which, as a result, has made it difficult for the authorities to prefer charges on them. A relation of one of the detained soldiers, who gave his name as Yakubu, told our correspondent that his brother, a sergeant, had been in detention for six months with his family unable to see him. He said, “In fact, since he was detained, no charges have been pressed on him and it is not certain when he will be released. The Army authorities have also denied him access to his family.” In his reaction, the Director of Army Public Relations, Maj.-Gen. Chris Olukolade, who responded to an email sent to him, said administratively, only the Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Texas Chukwu, could respond to the report. He said, “Thanks, This is administrative please. Kindly speak to Army Public Relations. Cheers.” Efforts made to contact Chukwu were not fruitful. He did not pick repeated calls made to his telephone. Copyright PUNCH.