Abuja, 29 Jan - (ANA) - Nigeria's army failed to protect Baga's civilians despite warnings that militants were going to attack, rights group Amnesty International has said. Some reports say as many as 2,000 people died in Boko Haram's raids on the north-eastern town this month, but the government puts the toll at 150. Amnesty quotes an unnamed senior army source as saying the Islamist militants told residents about the offensive. But the defence spokesman said there had been continuous patrols. "It is not true to say nothing was done," Maj Gen Chris Olukolade said in response to Amnesty International's allegations. Boko Haram launched a full-scale insurgency in north-eastern Nigeria in 2009 to create an Islamic state. But since the government declared a state of emergency 20 months ago in three north-eastern states to deal with it, Boko Haram has strengthened and now controls several towns, where it has declared a caliphate. (ANA)

FA/ANA/29 January 2015--------