Nigerian general jailed over Boko Haram attack on Baga

 A military court in Nigeria has sentenced a general to six
months in jail for his involvement in one of the army's worst
defeats by Boko Haram.
Gen Enitan Ransome-Kuti was convicted of failing in his duties
when Islamist militants attacked the north-eastern town of Baga
in January.Scores of civilians were killed when Boko Haram overran the
town and seized large quantities of weapons.
The general's lawyer told the BBC that he will appeal against the
decision.
A separate accusation of cowardice was dropped.The general comes from a celebrated Nigerian family. His uncle
was the late Afro-beat legend Fela Kuti.
The exact number of those killed in the Baga attack remains
unknown, but claims vary from the government's official figure
of 150 to up to 2,000 reported by locals.
Gen Ransome-Kuti was also dismissed from the Nigerian armed
forces as part of the court martial.
He was found guilty for "loss of equipment" in the attack on the
headquarters of Nigeria's regional task force against Boko
Haram.
"Boko Haram outnumbered his men. They had more superior
weapons than the unserviceable equipment of the Nigerian
Army," his lawyer Femi Falana told AFP news agency.
According to Nigerian media, among the military hardware lost
in the attack were several armoured personnel carriers, 12
Toyota pick-up trucks, three rocket-propelled grenade
launchers, more than a dozen machine guns, and a large
quantity of ammunition.
Analysis: Jimmy Saleh, BBC Hausa Service
The military court in the capital Abuja said Brigadier Gen
Ransome-Kuti was right to have asked his troops to retreat in
the face of overwhelming firepower, but he should have called
for reinforcements and launched a counter-attack to reclaim the
town.
Hundreds of people were massacred by Boko Haram in Baga in
January 2015 when Gen Ransome-Kuti and his men ran away
from the town.
This was one of the biggest defeats suffered by the Nigerian
army at the hands of Boko Haram, given the number of people
killed and the high-calibre weapons gained by the insurgents.
The militants also detained many women in Baga whom they
used as sex slaves.
The army's reputation has been affected by a series of mutinies
by troops who on several occasions abandoned their weapons
and fled the insurgents.
Today's sentence is intended to help restore discipline, which
many think has been lacking within the ranks of the troops.
Some of the troops complained they were not being given the
equipment needed to fight Boko Haram but more weapons have
now been supplied.
According to Amnesty International, at least 17,000 people,
mostly civilians, have been killed since 2009, when Boko Haram
launched its violent uprising to try to impose militant Islamist
rule.
With the help of regional armies, the Nigerian military has this
year retaken most areas Boko Haram had captured.The general comes from a celebrated Nigerian family. His uncle
was the late Afro-beat legend Fela Kuti.
The exact number of those killed in the Baga attack remains
unknown, but claims vary from the government's official figure
of 150 to up to 2,000 reported by locals.
Gen Ransome-Kuti was also dismissed from the Nigerian armed
forces as part of the court martial.
He was found guilty for "loss of equipment" in the attack on the
headquarters of Nigeria's regional task force against Boko
Haram.
"Boko Haram outnumbered his men. They had more superior
weapons than the unserviceable equipment of the Nigerian
Army," his lawyer Femi Falana told AFP news agency.
According to Nigerian media, among the military hardware lost
in the attack were several armoured personnel carriers, 12
Toyota pick-up trucks, three rocket-propelled grenade
launchers, more than a dozen machine guns, and a large
quantity of ammunition.
Analysis: Jimmy Saleh, BBC Hausa Service
The military court in the capital Abuja said Brigadier Gen
Ransome-Kuti was right to have asked his troops to retreat in
the face of overwhelming firepower, but he should have called
for reinforcements and launched a counter-attack to reclaim the
town.
Hundreds of people were massacred by Boko Haram in Baga in
January 2015 when Gen Ransome-Kuti and his men ran away
from the town.
This was one of the biggest defeats suffered by the Nigerian
army at the hands of Boko Haram, given the number of people
killed and the high-calibre weapons gained by the insurgents.
The militants also detained many women in Baga whom they
used as sex slaves.
The army's reputation has been affected by a series of mutinies
by troops who on several occasions abandoned their weapons
and fled the insurgents.
Today's sentence is intended to help restore discipline, which
many think has been lacking within the ranks of the troops.
Some of the troops complained they were not being given the
equipment needed to fight Boko Haram but more weapons have
now been supplied.
According to Amnesty International, at least 17,000 people,
mostly civilians, have been killed since 2009, when Boko Haram
launched its violent uprising to try to impose militant Islamist
rule.
With the help of regional armies, the Nigerian military has this
year retaken most areas Boko Haram had captured.

 The general comes from a celebrated Nigerian family. His uncle
was the late Afro-beat legend Fela Kuti.
The exact number of those killed in the Baga attack remains
unknown, but claims vary from the government's official figure
of 150 to up to 2,000 reported by locals.
Gen Ransome-Kuti was also dismissed from the Nigerian armed
forces as part of the court martial.
He was found guilty for "loss of equipment" in the attack on the
headquarters of Nigeria's regional task force against Boko
Haram.
"Boko Haram outnumbered his men. They had more superior
weapons than the unserviceable equipment of the Nigerian
Army," his lawyer Femi Falana told AFP news agency.
According to Nigerian media, among the military hardware lost
in the attack were several armoured personnel carriers, 12
Toyota pick-up trucks, three rocket-propelled grenade
launchers, more than a dozen machine guns, and a large
quantity of ammunition.
Analysis: Jimmy Saleh, BBC Hausa Service
The military court in the capital Abuja said Brigadier Gen
Ransome-Kuti was right to have asked his troops to retreat in
the face of overwhelming firepower, but he should have called
for reinforcements and launched a counter-attack to reclaim the
town.
Hundreds of people were massacred by Boko Haram in Baga in
January 2015 when Gen Ransome-Kuti and his men ran away
from the town.
This was one of the biggest defeats suffered by the Nigerian
army at the hands of Boko Haram, given the number of people
killed and the high-calibre weapons gained by the insurgents.
The militants also detained many women in Baga whom they
used as sex slaves.
The army's reputation has been affected by a series of mutinies
by troops who on several occasions abandoned their weapons
and fled the insurgents.
Today's sentence is intended to help restore discipline, which
many think has been lacking within the ranks of the troops.
Some of the troops complained they were not being given the
equipment needed to fight Boko Haram but more weapons have
now been supplied.
According to Amnesty International, at least 17,000 people,
mostly civilians, have been killed since 2009, when Boko Haram
launched its violent uprising to try to impose militant Islamist
rule.
With the help of regional armies, the Nigerian military has this
year retaken most areas Boko Haram had captured.