Group seeks International collaboration to tackle ISWAP,condole families and warns against political attack on Service Chiefs

By OLUFEMI LAWSON AKINDELE
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Amidst reactions to the recent attack on a military base in Metele, Borno State, by the Boko Haram insurgents, which led to the death of unspecified number of Nigerian Soldiers, The Coalition of Civil Society Groups against Terrorism in Nigeria has condemned the attack on the military base by the insurgents, as it also called for caution, especially from politicians who are already exploiting the unfortunate incident, to make political statements.

In a Press Statement issued in Lagos on Saturday and jointly signed by its Convener and Registrar, Comrade Odeyemi Oladimeji and Atani John respectively, the group commiserated with the immediate families of the fallen heroes and the Nigerian Army, saying the ultimate sacrifices they have made, in keeping the rest of us safe, shall never be forgotten. It also said it has no doubt, that the sudden escalation of attacks targeting military formations in the Northeast is targeted at presenting this administration in bad light, particularly as Nigeria prepares for the 2019 General elections.

The statement said "The recent attacks can be clearly linked to the quest by these criminal elements, who have now actively engaged their international partners, to build up their armoury, having earlier been seriously decimated by the Nigerian Army , while also creating an atmosphere of fear, for the citizens, who are now returning in numbers, to their ancestral homes, after series of mop up operations by the Nigerian military."

"It is therefore our patriotic view, that Nigerians particularly in the Social media, should not be deceived by the antics of some desperate politicians, who are already making political capital out of the plight of our military, who are fighting day and night, to win the war on terrorism. They must not be oblivious of the fact, that these attacks on our Military will be exploited by politicians desperate to win elections. We see these attacks by this criminal elements in the society as deliberate attempts to not only test the strength of our security personnel but also ostensibly as a means of testing the waters for a more sinister objective, ahead of 2019 elections ."

The group further said what the Service Chiefs and the entire security agencies in Nigeria requires is the prayers and encouragement of Nigerians, particularly leaders of thought and politicians across political divides, and not an exploitation of the callous activities of ISWAP/Boko Haram, to demoralize our Service chiefs and our gallant troops or any mischievous call for the sack of our Service Chiefs. The statement also said everyone must rise to condemn the trend, where politicians and some ethnic champions try to embolden these criminals, by questioning the competence of our Military Commanders , as such conducts, remains unpatriotic. The statement also call for an urgent synergy between the Nigerian Government and that of Niger, Chad Republic and Cameron, as investigation has shown that this insurgents are coming into Nigeria through the fringes of this Countries, and the latest attack has confirmed, that it is an internationally coordinated assault, which therefore cannot be singled out, as a Nigerian problem. .