NLC , NECSO, Concerned Citizens Urge Security Forces to Restrategize Fight Against Boko Haram, Banditry
The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Network for Civil Society Organisatio, (NCSO) and Concerned Citizen(CC) have called on Nigerian armed Force as a matter of urgency to change their mode of approach and strategy in the fight against Boko Haram insurgency in the North East as well as other security challenges bedevilling the country.
The group in a joint World Press Conference also condemned in totality the perpetual and increasing criminalities perpetrated by Boko Haram Insurgents and armed bandits which pose great security challenges to the innocent citizens if the country.
Spokesman of the group, the Borno State Council Chairman of the NLC, Comrade Bulama Abiso at the NLC House Maiduguri Tuesday said ,” we are calling for total overhaul of the process, system and strategies as there is no harm in seeking for external support, if that is what is needed to bring lasting peace to the region.”
” We also call for the revisiting and remodeling of the approach by the “Operation Safe Corridor” on Deradicalization and reintegration of ex combatants back to the communities and stakeholders should be consulted throughout the process.
“It is widely believed that, the inability of the security forces to halt the insurgents, were because of presumably due to lack of will on the part of the Armed Forces to bring an end to this war.
"The culture of mutual mistrust within various security establishments and between the security and the victim community to divulge information on Boko Haram insurgents and commercial benefits being driven by some actors.
"The Boko Haram insurgency has lingered for over 10 years there is need for restrategizing the approach of counter insurgency and if need be seek for helping hand from countries that has expirience in the fight against terrorism and Insurgency.
” We urge the Nigerian Armed Forces to restrategize in their approaches of countering terrorism and securing the lives and property of the citizen as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
"This concern became pertinent due to the recent attack on the Governor Babagana Zulum’,s convoy, abduction and killings of aid workers and explosion of Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in communities once regarded as safe within Maiduguri metropolis and beyond”, Abiso said.
The group further called for deliberate enhanced Civil military Relations with the support of the locals to completely defeat the Insurgents, adding that the military should also be more proactive in taking the war to the Insurgents' hidouts.
Comrade Abiso added that, ” it has become frustrating to all Borno citizens at home and in diaspora on why the Armed forces of Nigeria could not contained the menace of the terrorists group for more than a decade.
"When one compares the expanditures of government against the result achieved by the military in the counter insurgency operations. It is not commensurate to the realities on ground”, Bulama said.
The group while strongly concerned on the attack on the Governor’s convoy in Mile 4 along Baga route, sympathised with the Governor over the Incident and demanded a transparent investigations into the matter.
The Spokesman further stressed that if the safety of the number one citizen in the state is not guaranteed, then what about the citizens who regularly ply the highway to earn a living.