The government of Nigeria has court-martialed 15 members of the Nigerian military accusing them of supplying intelligence and weaponry to Boko Haram, severely weakening Nigeria's ability to cope with the growing threat Boko Haram presents.
According to the Nigerian news organization Leadership, 10 generals and five other officers of varying rank were found guilty. Some of the guilty parties may appeal to the overall military structure in Abuja after being found guilty on a divisional level.
One source told Leadership some of the information shared with Boko Haram resulted in deadly ambushes that cost the lives of Nigerian soldiers.
The courts-martial seem to lend credence to previous claims that members of the military were aiding Boko Haram. Nigerian leadership previously mentioned such allegations, and The Associated Press reports that even President Goodluck Jonathan has made similar accusations.
News of the courts-martial comes at the same time the Nigerian government has announced that it will no longer tolerate demonstrations organized under the banner of #BringBackOurGirls, according to both the AP and Leadership.
The police commissioner in the Nigerian capital of Abuja claims the protests have gotten away from their original goals and now pose a serious security threat to the Nigerian state, according to the AP.
This is not the first time the government has tried to silence dissent associated with #BringBackOurGirls. Thugs and the police have broken up such rallies throughout the capital. Government resistance to the protests has grown so great that the First Lady of Nigeria even had one of the principal organizers of #BringBackOurGirls temporarily arrested.
The more than 200 girls at the center of all this activity have been missing for more than a month. The Nigerian military seems no closer to finding them despite military aid from the United States, China, Israel, and the United Kingdom.
Daily Zone
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