Soldiers serving in the Nigerian Army’s 81 Division Task Force Battalion stationed at Dikwa Local Government Area in Borno State have voiced their grievances against their Commanding Officer, Lt Col SJ Ajiya, alleging that his actions have led to the unnecessary deaths of several of their comrades.
According to anonymous sources, there have been numerous instances of negligence and misconduct attributed to Lt Col SJ Ajiya since he assumed command.
One particularly troubling incident occurred a few weeks ago when seven soldiers lost their lives in a single day due to the commander’s alleged negligence. Two others are reportedly in critical condition following the same incident.
The soldiers recount various incidents where they claim Lt Col SJ Ajiya’s decisions directly endangered their lives.
One such case involved sending troops on what they described as “useless errands” to Koibe, resulting in the death of a soldier named Pte Salako who stepped on a mine.
Despite being responsible for sending him on the mission, the soldiers allege that Lt Col SJ Ajiya hesitated to arrange for Salako’s burial.
Further accusations include the commander’s purported refusal to maintain and repair unit vehicles, leading to a fatal accident during a fuel procurement mission.
This incident claimed the life of Warrant Officer Charles Nwogu, the unit’s Regimental Sergeant Major, and Private Ugwu Daniel, with several others sustaining serious injuries.
“The CO has refused to fix the unit vehicles to the extent that our two trucks are down. As a result, he started to use Hilux to carry fuel from town and some soldiers had an accident. Unfortunately, we lost WO Charles Nwogu 93NA the unit RSM that has few years to go on retirement and Pte Ugwu Daniel. Some others with injuries were rushed to the teaching hospital in Maiduguri.”
“Since he became our Commander, bad things have been happening in our unit.Â
The soldiers lament the deteriorating state of affairs within their unit since Lt Col SJ Ajiya assumed command, expressing concern over what they perceive as a lack of regard for their safety and well-being.
Additionally, they claim that Ajiya’s conduct extends to disrespecting officers in front of subordinates.
“This CO (Commanding officer) has no value for soldiers’ lives. He is always risking our lives and he talks to everybody anyhow. Even the officers, he insults them in front of soldiers,” the soldiers lamented while calling for help.
Efforts to seek comment from the Nigerian Army authorities, including spokesperson Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, were reportedly unsuccessful at the time of reporting.
The soldiers have raised serious concerns about the leadership of Lt Col SJ Ajiya, citing alleged negligence, misconduct, and disregard for their safety, which they believe have contributed to the loss of lives and injuries within their unit.
