Philip Nwosu
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Gabriel Olonisakin, has tasked the Nigerian Army to move and crush the Boko Haram insurgents in the North East.
Olonisakin, while speaking at the opening of the Combat Support Arms Training week in Lagos, explained that the country’s security challenges are characterized by non state actors, who exhibit deep intolerance for peaceful co-existence with other members of the society based on narrow ideologies, radicalism and outright criminal intent.
He said that these individuals and group have resorted to attacking innocent citizens, creating an atmosphere of fear and panic through acts of terror as well as insurgent activities against Nigeria.
According to him, “it is, therefore, vital that the Nigerian Army continues to lead efforts in crushing such elements so that the nation may be safe and secure.”
Olonisakin said that to consolidate on the successes against the insurgents and build peace, the military must continually concentrate efforts at addressing the drivers of the challenges in the first place, adding that the armed forces are better positioned to totally end the insurgency in the North East and other criminal activities across the nation.
He explained that achieving success against the insurgents can only come through synergy and the cooperation of all the Services, security agencies as well as other stakeholders, especially in the light that the right to live in a peaceful, safe and secure environment remains an inalienable right of every citizen of this country.
He called on all Nigerians, in the spirit of patriotism, to contribute to the efforts of combating the menace of insecurity in the society, especially as efforts at combating insecurity in Nigeria is a continuous engagement that requires a lot of sacrifice and to which Nigerians are ultimately committed.
The Chief of Defence Staff said that the army has continued to demonstrate its resolve to secure the territorial integrity of Nigeria from both internal and external threats, adding: “The combat support arms, consisting of the artillery, engineers, signals and intelligence will always have a role to play in support of the combat arms of the Nigerian Army towards achieving this mandate.