John Campbell
In a report from this May, before the shocking revelations of Nigeria’s Presidencies Boko Haram negotiator, Stephen Davis implicating the army chief, Azubuike Ihejirika as sponsor of Boko Haram; apparently investigative reports and former US ambassador to Nigeria, John Campbell had figured that Boko Haram was being armed directly by the Nigerian army.
Here is an excerpt from the report in May on ThisDay:
According to US network TV NBC, most of the Islamic terror group’s weapons are either stolen from Nigerian military stocks or purchased on the thriving Central African arms black market, say the experts, including current and former U.S. officials.
Many have often wondered where the insurgents source their weaponry from, given both the sophistication and the sheer number.
The group blamed for last month’s kidnapping of nearly 300 Nigerian schoolgirls routinely raids police stations and military bases in search of weapons, they say. In some cases, Boko Haram sympathizers in the Nigerian military abet the theft.
“There are hints that sympathizers in the Nigerian army will deliberately leave doors of armouries unlocked for Boko Haram,” said John Campbell, U.S. ambassador to Nigeria from 2004 to 2007.
A top military officer was indicted several years ago in Kaduna, for supplying the weapons of the Nigerian army to Niger Delta militants, led by, now jailed, Henry Orkah.
In addition to weapons, the rebels frequently seize non-lethal equipment that helps them carry out their terror attacks, said one U.S. official, citing a raid last week on an open market in northeast Nigeria that left 310 people dead.
That attack, according to local reports, was carried out by men in Nigerian military uniforms who arrived in Nigerian military armored personnel carriers (APCs).
Apart from benefiting from sympathizers in the Nigerian military, the Islamic terror group is able to purchase small arms and occasionally some larger weaponry in nearby conflict zones, “probably Libya, probably Chad,” said the official, who spoke with NBC News on condition of anonymity. Read full Where Boko Haram Gets Its Weapons
There is no evidence of any court-martial of any implicated sympathizers involved in this transfer. Also there is no evidence the army attempts seriously to retrieve the weapons and vehicles. This implicates the army chiefs, past and current in these direct transfers of ammunition, armored tanks and APC’s to the terrorists.
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