Boko Haram: Jonathan declares full-scale
war ,deploys warplanes
on september 06, 2014 at 9:50 am in headlines
Nigerian warplanes are carrying out air strikes
against Boko Haram militant bases at Bama,
Borno State, a senior official said yesterday, in a
government counter-attack against Boko Haram’s
drive to create an Islamist enclave.
The official, who asked not to be named, told
Reuters Nigeria’s military was battling Boko
Haram fighters at Bama, 70 km (45 miles)
southeast of the Borno state capital Maiduguri.
Air strikes have been carried out “on all the Boko
Haram bases”, the official said, adding this
reflected President Goodluck Jonathan’s order for
a “fully-fledged war” against the group which has
waged a bloody insurgency since 2009.
“Bama today is the centre of the military battle
with the terrorists … Boko Haram is being repelled
by the Nigerian troops as we are talking now,” the
government official said, without giving details of
the operations or casualties.
The battle over Bama, and Boko Haram’s storming
of towns and villages to the north, east and south
of Maiduguri in recent weeks, has raised fears of
an attack on the Borno state capital, prompting
hundreds of civilians to flee.
“Even today, we can see so many people leaving
… the buses are going out plenty now,” Musa
Sumail, a human rights activist in Maiduguri who
reports on the violence in the northeast, told
Reuters. He said he had seen at least one or two
Nigerian government fighter jets in the skies
above Maiduguri.
We ‘ll do everything to defend our territorial
integrity –Defence Hqtr
Indeed, the Defence Headquarters said the
armed forces will do everything to defend the
nation’s sovereignty.
In a statement by Major General Chris Olukolade,
Director of Defence Information said, the armed
forces said: “DHQ wishes to reiterate the pledge
and commitment it made while briefing the Joint
Committee on Defence of the National Assembly
to the effect that everything will be done to
reverse the situation and defeat the rampaging
terrorists.
“While welcoming all the concerns shown by
Nigerians and a section of the international
community following the increased menace and
activities of terrorists, it is necessary to reassure
all that the Nigerian Armed Forces is more than
ever determined and committed to the defence
of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of
Nigeria, regardless of any odd.
“It is not only the pride and reputation of the
military that is at stake but that of the entire
nation. We therefore urge our citizens not to lose
hope or be disenchanted but to remain steadfast
and supportive of the military as all steps are
being taken to ensure the success of the counter-
insurgency operations, especially at this crucial
time when our sovereignty is being challenged.
“With this in mind, it is important to reiterate that
the Nigerian military is fully conscious of its
obligations to the Nigerian state and remains
willing and ready to perform its duties with
utmost diligence. Therefore, what the military
requires at this critical period in the nation’s
history is not pillories but continued support from
all stakeholders and comity of nations.
“Indeed, this is not the time to despair or shift
blames. Rather it calls for concerted effort by all
and sundry to stop the agents of darkness who
seek to destroy our country and civilization. On its
part, the Nigerian military as a fighting force,
assures Nigerians once again that this battle will
be won.”
Military ‘ve killed 1,200 insurgents –AVM
Marizu
Sharing this view, former Air Officer Commanding
Logistics Command of the Nigerian Airforce, Air
Vice Marshall Chris Marizu (rtd), yesterday,
cautioned politicians against utterances that were
capable of pitching the armed forces against the
citizens they were supposed to protect noting that
the military forces have killed 1200 Boko Haram
insurgents in the battle for Bama, Borno State.
He spoke in the light of the current challenges in
the counter-terrorism efforts in the North east
which has understandably elicited a sense of
apprehension among citizens and even foreign
allies.He made the disclosure just as the President of
Course 18 participants of the Nigeria Defence
Academy, Air Commodore Olufemi Agbetuyi
warned that it was high time the nation stopped
mixing politics with security issues.
Speaking at the 18th regular course re-union in
Abuja yesterday, AVM Marizu said, “People should
know that some persons who have done so much
for this country and the military institution cannot
just be rubbished on the altar of politics.
“Some unscrupulous citizens of this country are
using the advantages that they enjoy under
democracy to malign the military with innuendos
and statements without facts. All the things that
Mr. Davies said for instance, there was nothing in
it and no facts to buttress anything. The angle of
aircraft for instance, was Ihejirika the Chief of Air
Staff?
“It shows there are undemocratic elements
working in tandem with outsiders trying to
destroy this country. For instance, the last few
days, the media has been awash with reports that
Boko Haram has over-run Bama and taken over
the city whereas, the reverse is the case. We have
troops there and we are in touch on a daily basis”
“The truth is that as at Tuesday, our soldiers had
killed over 700 Boko Haram insurgents during the
battle. The following day, another 500 terrorists
were killed.
What is happening is not what is being reported in
the newspapers and sometimes I wonder if the
media are Nigerian media or what they seek to
gain by running our soldiers down” In his
contribution, Air Commodore Agbetuyi cautioned
politicians in the country against trying to bring
the name of the military into disrepute warning
that doing so will amount bringing down the
military.
On allegation against General Azubuike
Ihejirika, he said, “Some political elites do not
understand what the man went through as COAS,
the sleepless nights, the sacrifices General
Ihejirika made for the country.
I recall how he was tackling the security challenge
in the country and some Nigerians who do not
understand or pretending not to, or some
enemies of Nigeria said the army was killing
people indiscriminately. The same people today
are saying he sponsors Boko Haram. Does it make
sense?”
SOURCE: ww.vanguardngr.com/2014/09/boko-haram-jonathan-declares-full-scale-war-deploys-warplanes/
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