Boko Haram: Group urges military to keep vigil in North-East

FOLLOWING renewed attacks by the Boko Haram sect in some parts of North-East, a coalition for Good Governance and Change, has urged the Nigerian military to continue to maintain vigilance and not rest on its oars until the war against the insurgency is totally won.

The group gave this charge on Thursday, after a tour of the North-East counter insurgency operation zone by over 50 civil society organizations under the auspices of Coalition for Change and Good and Good Governance led by Comrade Okpokwu Ogenyi.

Ogenyi, in a communique jointly signed by leaders of some the civil society organisations and read to newsmen, commended the efforts of the Federal Government and the Nigerian military on the success recorded so far in the war against terrorism.

He said the group was delighted to have seen life returning to some of the communities earlier deserted in the wake of the Boko Haram insurgency.

He said stories in the media that Boko Haram was regrouping did not hold water anywhere as only the political wing of the sect has refused to yield to efforts by the Federal Government to declare Nigeria a terrorist free nation.

He added that from investigations, the coalition gathered that militant wing has continued to remain on the run whilst many fighters continued to surrender to our troops in large number.

The communique was signed by Okpokwu Ogenyi, National Co-ordinator and Convener; Ibrahim Abubakar, Executive Director, Save Humanity Advocacy Centre; Rev Steven Onwu, Executive Director New Intitiative for Credible Leadership; Joyce Adamu, Centre for Social Justice, Equity and Transparency; Comrade John Okoro, Coordinator, New Nigeria Youth for Progress and Dr Tunde Ogunmola, Founder Friends of Humanity among others.

The communique reads in part: “The coalition’s research found that: Life is returning to communities that were earlier dislocated by Boko Haram terrorists with residents beginning to resume the economic activities that were disrupted by the these

“This conflict significantly with stories making the rounds that the northeast is a wasteland.

“The efforts of the Federal Government vis a viz the military operation against the insurgency particularly is yielding results. Incidents of successful attacks by the terrorists has become more of the exception more than the rule.

“In the war against terrorism, the Federal Government under the able supervision of the Acting President has performed very well to an extent that the President will be very happy when he returns from his medical leave being a man that hates the shedding of blood of any Nigerian.

“The local population expressed concerns that mischief makers are exploiting the mood of the nation to scale up propaganda in the media to create the wrong impression to Nigerians therefore casting aspersions on Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo and the sterling performance of the service chiefs.”