Army sack commanders over Jaji bombings

The Nigerian Army in reaction to last Sunday’s terror attacks on St. Andrews Military Protestant Church and Staff College, Jaji, Kaduna State, has removed the Commandant of the military facility, Air Vice Marshal IA Kure.

 

Also removed from office was the Commander, Infantry, Maj. Gen MD Isah.

 

The Director of Defence Information, Col. Mohammed Yerima, announced the changes in an email to our correspondent on Saturday.

 

Yerima said the removal of Kure and Isah were fallouts of the bombing incidents in Jaji.

 

According to him, the Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Ola Obrahim, took the decision to replace Kure with Air Vice Marshal Osim while Major. Gen KC Osuji was also appointed in acting capacity as the replacement for Isah.

 

The statement was silent on the next posting for Kure and Isah.

 

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, had attributed the terror attacks in Jaji to laxity, stressing that the incident was preventable.

 

Ihejirika who described the twin explosions as unfortunate said that that barracks were not fenced, would not suffice as an explanation for the occurrence of the bombings in the military facility.

 

He said commanders had a responsibility to liaise effectively with their people and give their best to intelligence gathering and effective security maintenance in their respective postings.

 

As at Friday, the casualty figure of those killed in the Jaji twin explosions was 17 including the two suicide bombers involved in the operation.

 

Following the attacks, the Chief of Army Staff immediately set up a board of inquiry to look into the circumstances surrounding the bomb attacks.

 

The members of the board commenced sitting on Thursday.