BREAKING: Soldiers shooting at Maiduguri airport

The soldiers also barricaded the airport gate for since 6:15 p.m., firing shots sporadically into the air, forcing many residents around the area to flee

Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri

Soldiers of the Special Force deployed to Borno State for the counterinsurgency operation have been shooting at the Maiduguri airport.

The soldiers also barricaded the airport gate for since 6:15 p.m., firing shots sporadically into the air and forcing many residents around the area to flee.

The Sun gathered that the shootings were protests against redeployment of the soldiers from Maiduguri to another location at the northern part of Borno State.

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The soldiers said they were deployed to Borno since February 2015 and ought to have been released to return to their original unit after serving three years at the theatre on counter-Boko Haram operation.

“We left our families for almost four years now. Ordinarily, we should have been released to return to our unit having spent three years in this theatre. But we were told this evening by our superior officers to start park our things and prepare for redeployment to Marte (northern Borno).

“We feel this is unfair and against what the Chief of Army Staff has always said that any soldier who has spent three years in the theatre will be relieved and allow to return to his unit. This is unfair,” one of the protesting soldier claimed.

Army spokesman, Brig Gen Texas Chukwu could not immediately respond to enquiry about the incident. He promised to respond as soon as the army ascertain the “true situation.”