Without doubts, the Nigerian security apparatchik is recording tremendous success in its efforts to root out insurgency in different parts of the country, especially the North East.
True to its promise, the Joint Military Taskforce, JTF, has continued to launch offensive against criminal elements and terrorism in the country.
Recently the Nigerian Army announced the killing of over 150 Boko Haram insurgents at Kafiya Forest of Borno State. The Director of Army Public Relations, DAPR, Brig-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, who made the disclosure added that a key commander and a high value target of the insurgents, one Abba Goroma was also killed. The chief insurgent commander had a N10 million bounty placed on his head.
Within the same week members of the youth vigilante group otherwise known as civilian JTF captured over 50 suspected members of the Boko Haram sect in some parts of Borno and Adamawa states. The arrest of suspects came after days of massive hunt of the fleeing insurgents.
So much strategies seemed to be put in place in this war on terror. The Director General of the State Security Service, SSS, Ita Ekpeyong, at the official passing out parade and commissioning of 385 new officers of the service declared that the Service and other security forces were gradually wiping out the Boko Haram insurgents in the country. Ekpeyong said: “We can confidently say that we have decimated the terrorists’ top and middle level leadership, its foot soldiers, thereby dislodging its centre of gravity.”
Though there were a number of casualty on the side of the Nigerian security personnel and the civilian volunteers, nevertheless the positive development reinforces our belief in the ability of the response agencies working tediously in protecting us.
We were all living witnesses when the dreaded Boko Haram terror groups operated almost freely in some North-Eastern states before State of Emergency was declared in the troubled states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe. Their freedom have been curtailed. Hardly a day passes that the news media will not come out with stories of the JTF clamping down on members of fleeing Boko Haram terror group. These faceless and bloodthirsty elements have long fled areas they once operated like the Lord of the Manor and unleashed terror on helpless and innocent Nigerians. The story has since changed. It is now the other way round. These elements have since been chased away.
The recent creation of an Army division is another ambitious step taken towards ridding the North East of insecurity. The government should leave no stone unturned in its resolve to make Nigeria a safe and secure nation. Despite the hydra-headed nature of the insecurity conundrum, the government should leave nothing to chance getting to the root of the matter.
Creating a division of the Nigerian Army specifically to fight insurgency in the North Eastern part of the country is a commendable initiative. It is an indication that government very much attaches much premium to the safety of life and property of its citizens.
While it will be considered rather too early and ill-timed to sing victory song in the war against terror, it is not out of place all together to say we are close to achieving 100 percent success. We are inches away from completely cleansing terror from our land. Credit must be given to our devoted and committed officers and men of the Nigerian Army and other security establishments who have sacrificed their comfort, pleasure and time to guarantee peace in the land. The amount of stability we have so far witnessed in areas once branded flashpoints is an indication of the fact that the military is not relenting in its avowed determination to root out terrorism in the country.
The unprecedented inroads recorded by the JTF are not without the matchless support and unwavering commitment of the Federal Government. President Goodluck Jonathan has never minced words in his avowed determination make Nigeria inhabitable for trouble makers and enemies of Nigeria with provision of adequate resources to our security.
The JTF, with support from their civilian counterparts, is truly on top of the insecurity situation in areas once dominated by members of the Boko Haram Islamist sect. While we must acknowledge and commend security and volunteers in this war against terrorism, we must rise to fight terrorism by words of encouragement, while we are also security conscious at all times.
Aside creating the 7th Division of the Nigerian Army in BornoState, the government should equally provide the Army with necessary support for full take-off. We cannot continue to watch almost helplessly how bloodthirsty individuals visit terror on Nigerians. It is our responsibility to make Nigeria safe for Nigerians and foreigners alike. Nigerians are peace-loving people. Let us offer our individual supports to security agencies to enable them succeed.
•Mr Ola Lookman, a member Youths Against Disaster Initiative, YADI, wrote from Abuja. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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