Insecurity: Buhari declares war on Boko Haram, ISWAP in Niger

Apparently worried by lingering security challenges and endless killings in Niger State, President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered full scale offensive by the Nigerian Armed Forces to crush the bandits and Boko Haram insurgents making life unbearable for citizens of the state.

 

The directive was contained yesterday in a statement by Mallam Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media and Publicity. It was titled; “President Buhari sets the ball rolling for a big military operation in Niger State”.

 

However, Governors elected on the platform of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, will Monday deliberate on the way forward for country and perfect their agenda to rescue Nigeria and chart a course for rebirth.

 

According to the statement, “President Muhammadu Buhari as Commander-in-Chief of the nation’s Armed Forces has set the ball rolling for a major military operation in Niger State which has faced continued attacks on its communities by bandits and remnants of Boko Haram terrorists fleeing theaters of war in the Northwestern and Northeastern parts of the country.

 

“In a directive to the Defence Headquarters a few days ago, the President asked the military to respond robustly to the cases of killings and kidnappings in the State and to give effect to the strategic objectives through the use of force.

 

“In his message to the government and people of Niger State, President Buhari said, “I would like to express sincere sympathies to the government and people of the State following recent security incidents.”

 

“The President reiterated that security is a responsibility of every member of the community and only through solidarity and cooperation with law enforcement agencies can we defeat the problems finally.

 

“The Federal Government is willing to strengthen support and cooperation with all the states. I believe that with the full cooperation of the citizens, we will surely overcome this problem,” said the President.

 

Meanwhile, the PDP Governors will meet in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, to discuss Nigeria’s rebirth, proffer solutions to the various challenges and perhaps seek consensus on which part of the country should produce its presidential ticket for the next general election.

 

In a statement by the Director-General, PDP Governors’ Forum, Hon C. I. D. Maduabum, the group said it  has also invited the Senator Iyorchia Ayu led National Working Committee, NWC, of the party for consultation.

 

According to the statement, “The meeting will review the state of the States, the state of the nation and readiness of the PDP to provide the necessary leadership to Rescue and Rebuild Nigeria.

 

“All the elected PDP Governors are expected to attend the meeting to be presided over by the Chairman of the Forum, Rt Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, CFR .

 

“The meeting will be preceded by a Gala night to be hosted by the Chief Host, His Excellency, Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, CON.

 

“The PDP Governors are working in concert and consultations with other leaders of the party and in particularthe Senator (Dr) Iyorchia Ayu led National Executive  Committee of PDP to craft a credible process and programme for Nigeria’s positive rebirth. Dr Ayu has been invited to attend the Port Harcourt meeting to hold consultations with the Governors on strategies for executing the Rescue and Rebuild Nigeria project.”

 

It would be recalled that Niger State government has raised the alarm over the presence of members of the Islamic State of West Africa (ISWAP) and Boko Haram terrorists in Borgu and Shiroro Local Government Areas of the state.

 

The secretary to the Niger State Government (SSG), Alhaji Ahmed Ibrahim Matane, stated in November last year in a press briefing in Minna that the ISWAP members have already established their presence in Babana, a border town between Nigeria and the Republic of Benin in  Borgu Local Government Area of the state.

 

According to him, the Boko Haram terrorists were also operating in some communities in Shiroro Local Government Area of the state.

 

He reaffirmed a statement credited to Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, earlier last year  at a public gathering in the state about the presence of some Boko Haram elements in the Shiroro Local Government Area of the state.

 

Lamenting the precarious security situation in the state, he said that the “ISWAP elements are operating in the periphery of Nigeria and Benin Republic, specifically in the areas of the Kainji National Park and around the vast areas of the park up till Banana, a border town between Nigeria and the Republic of Benin in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.”

 

Now they have made some audio recordings, stating that they were there, that they were not kidnappers, that they were a religious organisation that was poised at establishing a caliphate in the area that will deal with issues of criminality and other related matters.”

 

He said that ISWAP elements were the same people that kidnapped a traditional ruler in the Borgu Kingdom recently, “the Dodo of Wawa”, adding they assured the state government that they were not armed bandits, that they were there because they were “God sent.” He added that “We’re not negotiating with the group.”

 

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