In a concerning development, Abba Gesh, a detained Nigerian soldier accused of supplying arms to Boko Haram, has managed to escape from the Joint Investigation Centre (JIC) at Giwa Barracks in Maiduguri, Borno State, according to SaharaReporters.
The Giwa Barracks military prison has been notorious for detaining suspected and confirmed Boko Haram terrorists over the years, and Gesh’s escape has raised significant security alarms. Although the exact date of his escape remains unclear, security sources disclosed that Gesh was last seen on November 26 in Malari, also in Borno State.
Abba Gesh, affiliated with the Nigerian Army Special Operations Command (NASOC), had been apprehended earlier in the year for allegedly selling ammunition worth millions of Naira to Boko Haram terrorists in Geizua.
An internal military memo obtained by SaharaReporters revealed details about Gesh’s escape and the potential threat he poses. The memo stated, “His intention is to kidnap locals for ransom. Meanwhile, I have been directed to facilitate fmns/units, military intelligence, MPs to brief their tps at CP on the need to apprehend and arrest him by any means if seen loitering within AOR.”
This escape comes in the wake of concerns expressed by the former Chief of Defence Staff, Leo Irabor, in 2022 regarding the rise in cases of military personnel collaborating with terrorists, bandits, and other criminals in Nigeria. Irabor had issued a letter to commanders, urging them to sensitize their officers to the severe implications of collaborating with the enemy.
The letter cited various incidents of soldiers being arrested in connection with activities involving Boko Haram and other terrorist groups. The escape of Abba Gesh underscores the challenges faced by the Nigerian military in addressing internal security threats and maintaining the integrity of its personnel.
