A civil society organisation, Conference of Civil Society for Peace, Security and National Development has said the skilled coordination of the military was major reason behind the capture of many informants of terrorists as well as elimination of top BokoHaram and ISWAP commanders in different forests across the country.
Conveners of the Civil Society group, Michael Msuaan and Dr. Adamu Mohammed also commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, for working tirelessly since assumption of office, to maintain high tempore and keep the morale of the soldiers high.
While extolling the leadership trait of Lagbaja which they described as leading from the front, they attributed the high morale of the soldiers and their operational efficiency to the Lagbaja who has continued to provide effective leadership and enhanced welfare support for the troops.
Speaking to newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja, the CSO stated that Lagbaja was keeping to his vow on assumption of duty, that the military under his watch would not condone the activities of unknown gunmen who held the people captive and declared a compulsory sit at home in the South East, as their activities reduced a bubbling economic zone into a “grave yard with lives of people who dared to disobey the gun wading men eliminated” and properties destroyed.
They said: “Today, the activities of the unknown gunmen have been crushed and normal life has returned to the south east with no more forceful sit at home. There is a breath of fresh air in the zone.”
The CSO also noted a significant reduction of BokoHaram and bandits activities along the axis of Kaduna, Zamfara and Niger States and attributed it to the intensive military onslaught on the criminals in the area.
“These states which used to be hot heads of criminal activities have witnessed reduced violence with just pockets of cowardly attacks on the soft spot which will soon be nipped in the bud by the superior force of the military under the leadership of Lt Gen. Lagbaja.”
Speaking further, the CSO noted the significant improvement in oil production and reduction in oil bunkering in the country saying, “troops of the Nigerian Army have continued to tackle activities of pipeline vandals and oil thieves in the Niger Delta arresting and destroying several illegal refineries in the oil rich region for enhanced revenue generation for the country.
“Similarly, the activities of herdsmen leading to clashes with the farmers have also reduced significantly in the past months under the watch of Lagbaja and hope rises that such activities which has become a threat to food security will be permanently put to an end.”
While commending the procurement of modern weapons and equipment as well as local construction of some equipment for the Nigerian military in recent times, they called on the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to continue to give support and funding to the Nigerian military.
“The government must not fall for the blackmail of few enemies of the country who are bent on Disuniting the country and by sponsoring insecurity. Nigerians must sustain their prayers and support for the military.”
