Unbelievable: Nigerian Soldiers Arrested for Working as Spies for Boko Haram

Some of 59 Nigerian soldiers facing trial, on charges of mutiny and conspiracy to commit mutiny over claims that they refused to fight Boko Haram militants, sit handcuffed on Oct. 15, 2014, in the military courtroom in Abuja, Nigeria.  AFP/Getty Images

It's almost unfathomable: that soldiers in Nigeria's military may be working as moles for Boko Haram, giving the terrorist group vital information about the military’s strategies and tactics. That's what the Nigerian military is claiming, and it's arrested those soldiers that it suspects are working as double agents for Boko Haram, AllAfrica.com is reporting.

Nigeria's military is fighting Boko Haram insurgents and working to rescue the abducted schoolgirls and other kidnapped victims, but its efforts are reportedly being sabotaged. The information that Boko Haram obtained from its spies led to a series of ambushes that resulted in many Nigerian soldiers being killed.

"It was gathered that the alleged moles among the soldiers leaked the information on the deployment of soldiers from Maimalari Barracks in April this year to the terrorists, which led to an ambush and killing of so many soldiers of the 101 Battalion," the news site explained.

Military commanders are putting the pieces together and revisiting all the incidents in which Boko Haram succeeded because it might have had intelligence about secret operations. For instance, a Nigerian fighter jet was downed in early September and Boko Haram said it shot it down. Military officials suspect that a spy told Boko Haram about the plane's departure plans.

A source, who preferred to speak on condition of anonymity, explained to AllAfrica.com that the initial suspicion that there might be spies lurking in Nigeria’s military caused a lot of confusion and mistrust among those in the higher ranks.

"The situation became so bad that there was mutual suspicion among fellow commanders, the brigade headquarters and even the division headquarters. But at last, the moles were found out to be some of the orderlies and aides of commanders,” the source said.

"What they do is that after operational briefings and troops take off, these moles immediately pass on the information through calls," the source continued.

The suspected soldiers will be charged with criminal conspiracy and possibly other crimes. The Nigerian military is still conducting investigations to flesh out more spies.

Read more at the AllAfrica.com.