TheCable

The Nigerian Army has received support from a section of social media users after Monday’s controversy regarding how 480 soldiers found themselves in Cameroon.

While the BBC reported that the soldiers were fleeing from Boko Haram, the Nigerian army said the soldiers had a “sustianed battle with terrorists” and their movement to Cameroon was only a “tactical manouvre”.

On the Twitter timeline of director of defence information, Maj-Gen Chris Olukolade, a commentator, Ifeanyi Ifebi urged critics of the soldiers to join the army and fight f0r fatherland instead of “ridiculing the military’s effort at ending insurgency”.

“The military’s explanation is in order,” he said.

“If you do not believe it, join the army and be in battle. Cowards criticise in battle while brave men join the army and fight for fatherland.”

Kinglsey, commenting via the Twitter handle @omephil, said: “I’m a die-hard supporter of our army. I know victory is sure for our troops…Victory is from God alone!”

On his part, Victor Owo said the Nigerian army “is still the best Army in Africa”.

“We have our issues, yes; but we will overcome. We won’t be overrun,” he wrote.

Olukolade himself then shared a Facebook comment by a certain “Emmanuel”, which read:

“Anybody conversant with infantry border OPs knows that it is easy to stray into another country, especially in areas where there are no border markings.

“Remember, this is an asymmetric warfare with no identifiable enemy. The military’s explanation is in order.

“If u don’t believe it, join the Army and be in battle…cowards criticise in battle, while brave men join the army and fight for fatherland.”

CORRIGENDUM: Some of the quotes in the earlier version of this report were attributed, in error, to Maj-Gen Chris Olukolade. It has been discovered that Olukolade only re-tweeted the comments. TheCable regrets this error.