General Rodriguez’s claim challenges Nigeria’s official position on the seven-year old insurgency that has so far claimed about 20,000 lives and displaced 2.5 million people.
Mr. Rodriguez’s assertion comes almost two months after President Muhammadu Buhari told the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki Moon, that the terrorist group was no longer “holding any territory as we speak”.
Mr. Buhari, who was speaking on the sidelines of the World Future Energy Summit in the UAE, said Nigerian Armed Forces in collaboration with the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNTJF) had driven the terrorist group from Nigerian territory into “fall-back positions”.
Mr. Rodriguez spoke Tuesday in response to a question during testimony before the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee reviewing fiscal year 2017 defence budget.
His comment about Boko Haram was in response to a question by Senator Angus King of Maine who asked about Al-Shabaab and Boko Haram more than ninety minutes into the testimony.
Mr. Angus’ direct question to General Rodriguez was: “Is Al-Shabaab and Boko Haram growing, are they adding members? I know they don’t hold territory, are they adding areas of influence?” to which Mr. Rodriguez replied, “actually sir, Boko Haram does hold some significant territory in Northern Nigeria as do Al-Shabaab in limited areas of Somalia”.
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Nigeria is in a very terrible state, if our leaders could be devious, loosing integrity and respect then, how can our image be redeemed?
ReplyDeleteOga Lai, respond to this. But I know that you and Buhari will not want to argue with your master, the US.
ReplyDeleteMaybe, you would say "untechnically" they are just interim local government committees' chairment in those occupied areas. Deception personified.
Apc - All promises Cancelled.
ReplyDeleteApcc is using lies, deception and propaganda as instruments of governance. It is sad!
Very sad indeed! Why Lai to Nigerians?? Using Lais as an instrument of government is the greatest corruption. A person who Lais persistently is a Thief.!!
ReplyDelete