Huge interests in crude oil deposits in the Lake
Chad Basin; the refusal of some weapons manufacturers to sell arms to Nigeria
and other entrenched schemes of some foreign nations are responsible for
prolonging the war against terrorist group, Boko Haram, in North-east region, a
top military source has told a group of select journalists on Thursday
This is coming as the Nigerian Army and their Cameroonian
counterparts agreed to strengthen efforts aimed at eliminating the insurgents
within their borders.
Also, a group known as Concerned Professionals’ Congress
(CPC) has endorsed "the fresh innovative military initiative of the
recently launched ‘Operation 777’ being undertaken by the Chief of Defence
Staff (CDS), General Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin, to restructure ongoing
military operations and decisively tackle insecurity in the country.
The army source, who spoke on the condition of
anonymity, said beyond the foreign interests, some non-government organisations
(NGOs) made upfront payment for hotel accommodation for 10 to 15 years,
indicating that backers of such organisations might have the knowledge that the
war would not end in the next 15 years.
According to him, "If Nigeria starts her own oil
exploration at the Lake Chad Basin, it would be against the French interest.
"The topography of the area where you have the
crude oil deposits is towards Nigerian territory, and when Nigeria starts
exploring it, the country will lose out.
"Some lecturers were taken to that area to
conduct a survey on exploration, and on their way back, Boko Haram terrorists
ambushed and killed all of them."
On difficulties encountered in accessing weapons to
prosecute the war in the North-east region, the source lamented the inability
of the government to access weapons.
He said: "Western nations have practically
refused to sell us weapons.
Amnesty International has been filing monthly
reports urging weapons manufacturers not to sell arms to us based on our poor
human rights records.
"Have you wondered why United States had to
sell us the 12 Tucano aircraft and decided to deliver it in 2020? Nobody has
raised that issue, not even the National Assembly or journalists.
"We are used to the offers of training and
promise to provide intelligence, which we are familiar with that, but what we
need is the weapon to fight this war.
"Now look at this scenario. If you go to
Maiduguri, foreign NGOs have booked all the hotels there, but here is the most
interesting part, they paid to stay in these hotels in Maiduguri for 10 to15
years.
"How do you explain that? So they and their
backers are working to ensure that the war never ends.”
Meanwhile, the Nigerian and Cameroonian armies have
agreed to collaborate in order to sustain joint military operations to end
insurgency within the fringes of their common borders in the North-eastern part
of Nigeria.
The Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier
General Texas Chukwu, made the disclosure in a statement in Abuja.
He said the acting General Officer Commanding, GOC,
7 Division, Brigadier General Abdulmalik Bulama Biu, expressed willingness to
end the war when he paid an operational visit to a border location in Wulgo,
Borno State, where Cameroon Defence Forces (CDF) battalion are deployed.
He enjoined the CDF troops to continue to
collaborate and work assiduously with their Nigerian counterparts towards
engaging and neutralising Boko Haram terrorists as well as other criminals in
order to enhance the security of lives and property as well as restore lasting
peace within their common borders.
The GOC explained that he was on a routine
operational visit to the division’s units sharing common flank with the CDF
Battalion, charging the troops to be more decisive and not to relent in denying
Boko Haram terrorists freedom of action as the dry season approaches.
He conveyed the appreciation of the Chief of Army
Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Yusufu Buratai, to the CDF, and commended the
excellent cordial relationship existing between the two forces particularly
those stationed at Wulgo in Gamboru Ngala Local Government Area of Borno State.
Earlier, the CDF Battalion Commander Robert Bokwe,
thanked the GOC for the visit, and conveyed the appreciation of the Brigade
Commander, Brigadier General Bouba, whom he said referred to the acting GOC as
a strong friend and brother.
He expressed delight at the cordial relationship
existing between the two armies, and reeled out several joint military
offensive clearance operations particularly Operation Deep Punch 2 and Almini
Facat undertaken by both armies to rout Boko Haram terrorists from Sambisa and
the Lake Chad region that were highly successful.
On ‘Operation 777’ being undertaken by the CDS, Olonisakin,
to restructure ongoing military operations and decisively tackle insecurity in
the country, the group, CPC, through its National Coordinator, Tukur Musa Tilde,
and Chief Media Strategist, Emeka Nwakpa, in a statement issued in Abuja, said the
acting Director of Defence Information, Brig. Gen. John Agim, who briefed journalists
last week at the Defence Headquarters, said the new military operation which began
on October 10, 2018, would run concurrently with existing operations.
The operations are: Whirl Punch in Abuja-Kaduna State
axis; Delta Safe in Niger Delta; Awatse in Lagos-Ogun States; Safe Haven in
Plateau and Bauchi States; Sharan Daji in Northwest and Kogi State, and Whirle
Stroke in Benue, Nasarawa and Taraba States.
The group therefore called for increased public
support for the Nigerian military, saying the huge gains recorded so far after
the fresh initiative was introduced barely a few days ago were further proof of
the resilience, gallantry, competence and innovativeness of the current
military leadership to adequately combat emerging threats to national security,
peace and stability.
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