200 soldiers dismissed over cowardice in boko haram war

The Nigerian Army has sacked at least 200 soldiers for cowardice and failure to fight against Boko Haram militants, several soldiers have told theBBC.
Up to 4,500 otherrank and file soldiers could bedismissed, they say.
A Nigerian military sourceconfirmedthe dismissals to the BBC, but would not give an exactfigure.
The army was widely criticised when the Islamist group Boko Haram captured vast areas in thecountry's North-east last year, despite a military emergency.
Nigerian troops, with military backing from Chad, Cameroun and Niger, has now recapturedmost of the areas in the North-eastwhich the group had seized, but sporadic attacksand violence have continued.
Many of thedismissals are thought tobe connectedto the fall of Mubi, the second largesttown in Adamawa State, one ofthree statesworsthit by the insurgency.
Boko Haram insurgents captured the town in Octoberafterclashes with governmentforces.
One of the soldiers who has been dismissed, and was presentat the fall of Mubi, told the BBC Hausa service that soldiers were simply following orders fromtheir commanders, who had told them to retreatfromthe town because they lacked adequate weapons to takeon the militants.
“We weren't given an opportunity to defend ourselves.I'vespent 20 years in the service ofthe Nigerian Army, I've never been accused of any offence,” said the soldier, who did not want tobe named.
Itis expectedthat the soldiers who have been dismissedwill not receive any extra paymentor pensionsbecause oftheir low rank and are not entitledto defend themselvesin a military court, reported the BBC.
A military official, who did not want tobe named, said that video footage taken during thefall ofMubi showedsoldiers fleeing Boko Haram, providing proof oftheir cowardice.
Nigeria's incoming President, Muhammadu Buhari, may review the deathsentencesof the66 soldiers separately convictedfor refusing tofight Boko Haram, according to theirlawyer.
About 1.5 million peoplehave been displaced and hundreds more abducted since thegroup launched their violent uprising in 2009. More than15,500 peoplehave been killed in thefighting.
The group is still holding many women, girls and children captives including 219 schools girls it kidnapped froma schoolin Chibok in April last year.