A former Commandant, Nigerian Army School of Infantry, Brig.-Gen Williams Obene (retd.), has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to sack governors of states in the North-East mostly affected by Boko Haram insurgency.
He said this would pave the way for the military to take full control of the situation.
Obene, in an interview with our correspondent on Friday, stated that the democratic institutions and structures in the affected states had been preventing the military from taking full action against insurgents.
He stated that it was necessary to declare a total war on the insurgents.
He said, “We, the experts, feel that we are at war. And when you are at war, you have more power and resources. If there is a state of emergency, there are some limitations. If you declare a total war, those limitations should be removed and the military will fully execute that war and bring it to a speedy conclusion.
“If a war is declared in that place, the civilian government will not be there. The case of over 200 Chibok girls wouldn’t have happened, if we had declared war. That governor wouldn’t have been on that seat to guarantee that the Chibok school was safe for the West African Examination Council examination. And those girls wouldn’t have been abducted.”
Obene stated it was possible that the sect had infiltrated the military, owing to reports of ambushes laid by the sect for soldiers.
“Yes, it is possible. Have you not heard the President himself declaring that Boko Haram is in his cabinet? Why will they not infiltrate the Nigerian Army as we also infiltrate their cells? It is an organised army. It is easier for them to infiltrate us than we infiltrate their cells, which is more difficult,” he said.
Meanwhile, a security expert and public affairs analyst, Brig.-Gen. Ayo Ojo (retd.), has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission and the Federal Government to prepare for a violent surprise by Boko Haram ahead of the October 11 Adamawa State governorship by-election.
He said the election was a constitutional requirement which could not be ignored because of the ongoing violent attacks on the state by the militants.
On Wednesday, the Adamawa Internally Displaced Persons Camp Commandant, Mr. Abdulmumini Jauro, said no fewer than 1,300 Adamawa indigenes had been displaced, with many of them at the Bajabure refugee camp in Girei Local Government Area.
Ojo, a member of the Nigerian Institute for Industrial Security, urged INEC and the Federal Government to provide adequate security to protect the lives and property of the electorate in the state.
He said, “There is a constitutional provision for the time frame within which there must be an election to fill the governorship seat after an impeachment. The election should, therefore, go ahead.
“However, to avoid any violent surprise by Boko Haram, adequate and tight security should be put in place.”
The retired Army officer also called on the Presidency and the Defence Headquarters to improve on their communication with the general public, especially on the military’s current campaign against the terrorist group.
Ojo noted that if the government kept information away from the public, people might end up with harmful information from other sources.
According to him, it is better for citizens to hear news, good or bad, from their own government.
He said, “In terms of improving communication by the Presidency and the DHQ, I will suggest that they should always ensure that Nigerians are carried along in whatever is going on. Otherwise, the citizens might be forced to go out and find out things by themselves.
“In view of the social media networks, much harm could be done if the citizens are kept in the dark. Moreover, enemies of Nigeria could easily step in to fill the gap to dish out falsehood. It is, therefore, very important to keep citizens well informed. It is always comforting to hear from the government.”
Source: Punch
