A coalition of civil rights group under the aegis of Eko Civil Right and Peace Movement (ECRPM), has commended President Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigerian Military for thwarting Boko Haram dominance in Nigeria’s North East.Speaking at a rally marking one year anniversary of reclaiming the stronghold of the Shekau-led Boko Haram, the group’s president, Comrade Adumashin Ayokunle, during the rally, heaped praises on President Buhari’s resolve, when elected in 2015, to take the war on insurgency seriously, which he believes has yielded positive results.
“The rally being held today, December 28, 2017, also coincides with the announcement which got to us about 4a.m, in 2016, about the fall of Camp Zero which was the strongest spiritual and military hold of Shekau and his faction of Boko Haram. From aerial images, we could see this time last year how the cowards were surrendering in large numbers to our troops, women and children being rescued and how Abu Shekau deserted his shrine leaving his Quran and the black flag behind at the camp.
“We are here to celebrate the achievement of the military and the Nigerian Army in particular, who over the years has become a willing partner in progress through their numerous military drilling like Operation Crocodile Smile 1 and 2, Operation Python Dance 1 and 2, to keep the country and particularly Lagos State free from criminals.
“Our people are eager to have Operation Crocodile Smile 3 in January not because the criminals have returned but have started missing the CSR intervention programs that usually accompany same by the Nigerian Army anytime we see them coming to carry out their legitimate and constitutional duties to the state. Without sounding immodest, the Eko Civil Rights and Peace Movement is, therefore, demanding for the immediate commencement of Operation Crocodile Smile 3 in the South-West to support our dream of an ideal Lagos which is a home to all kinds of businesses and transactions,” he said.
Ayokunle reinstated that the efforts to fight crimes and criminality have helped Lagos state and others to enjoy a relatively peaceful economic and business status.
“You may recall that the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, prior to 2015 was partially taken over by Boko Haram terrorists who started their operations in the North-East and were spreading fast to the South-West after installing its command and control Centre in Okene, Kogi State for the upward movement. This invariably raised the question as to when Lagos will fall into their trap.
“The coming of President Buhari was however to mark the turning point of this dream by Boko Haram and their agents who had vowed severally to have built enough cells in Lagos and preparing to strike to beat a retreat and return back to their enclaves in the North.
“We must give kudos to President Buhari and particularly the Service Chiefs who supervise the various operations to kick out terrorism, national assets vandalism, kidnappings, Separatists and threatening extreme fundamentalist ideologies, cattle-rustling , ethnic killings etc but still believe they can still do more in the year 2018 if given the necessary budgetary support and cooperation by all relevant stakeholders in and outside the county. These threats to our society are real and deserve the kind of military precision that the Nigerian Army has used in tackling them in recent times,” he said.
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