The officers and men of the Nigerian Armed Forces deserve commendation for their gallant efforts which led to the recovery of 30 communities earlier captured and occupied by the Boko Haram terrorist group. The picture of the president in battle fatigues during a tour of some of the liberated towns that is now trending in the media is, indeed, a great relief to many Nigerians. It suggests that the tide is turning against the insurgents. What is required now is for the attacks on the insurgents to be sustained until they are routed and peace is restored in the affected parts of the country.
With the increasingly ferocious attacks by Boko Haram insurgents in the past two years, a pervading sense of helplessness, hopelessness and an impending defeat had gripped the nation. The matter got out of hand late last year when the emboldened terrorists began to capture, occupy, re-name, and administer Nigerian territories. The situation, when considered alongside the failure of the security agencies to rescue the kidnapped Chibok girls, became quite frustrating and dispiriting. Nigerians were beginning to feel like a defeated people, with thousands displaced from their homes while others were forced to continue living in the captured territories under the suzerainty of Boko Haram.
It is, indeed, refreshing and gladdening to know that the Nigerian military can actually confront the terrorists. Although the present campaign is in conjunction with some of our neighbouring countries, we have seen that our military can defend and protect Nigerian territories from invaders in line with constitutional mandate.
We now also know that Boko Haram, in spite of its many boasts, cannot take over the country. This is really something to celebrate.
Gradually, the Nigerian military is returning to its true form and its winning ways. It is beginning to retrieve its hard-earned reputation. We, therefore, commend the troops for their recent performance. Their gallantry, patriotism and sacrifice deserve to be recognized and eulogised by all Nigerians.
We also commend President Goodluck Jonathan, Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, for the country’s recent successes in the battle against Boko Haram. His ability to weld a truly functional military coalition with Nigeria’s immediate neighbours, which partly turned the tide against the insurgents, is indicative of his diplomatic savvy.
We praise Nigeria’s friends, especially France, which was instrumental to the formation and functionality of the coalition, and our neighbours – Cameroon, Chad, and Niger – for their cooperation and heroic efforts.
The African Union and United Nations also deserve commendation for their concern and interventions.We must, however, state that the Nigerian military and its coalition partners must not rest on their oars. The battle against the insurgents is far from over. Just last week, dozens of Nigerians were reported to have been bombed to death in three bombing incidents in Borno State. What this indicates is that the tempo of the campaign against the insurgents must be increased.
We urge the coalition forces to be resolute, patient and painstaking. Nigeria must also carefully nurture this cooperation with our coalition partners to ensure that we achieve the desired objective.
Let the Nigerian military and the coalition forces know that the battle is yet to be won. The eyes of every soldier must, therefore, be set on the prize, which is the total extirpation of Boko Haram from Nigeria and all its surroundings. The loss of over 13,000 compatriots to this insurgency must be an ever-present reminder that we have no choice but to keep up the momentum. Once again, we salute the troops and wish them a speedy conclusion of this assignment.
