President Muhammadu Buhari has once again ordered the Nigerian Armed Forces to intensify its fight against Boko Haram terrorists in the northeast region.
The president’s marching orders come in the wake of the gruesome murder of 43 farmers in Jere Local Government Area of Borno State on Saturday, November 28, 2020.
The terrorist attack has led to widespread condemnation of the Buhari-led government’s efforts towards eradicating the terrorist group.
The president sent a delegation to Maiduguri, Borno State capital, to deliver a condolence and solidarity message on Monday, November 30.
Represented by his Chief of Staff, Ibrahim Gambari, Buhari described the massacre in Zabarmari community as the worst form of ‘senseless, barbaric and gruesome murder’.
He promised that his administration will continue to make resources available to the military to keep up its onslaught against Boko Haram until the group is eradicated.
The 77-year-old also vowed to work closely with neighbouring countries similarly affected by Boko Haram activities to ensure there’s no hiding place for the terrorists.
“Nothing is more important than ensuring the security of lives and property of the people. Everything is secondary when security is at stake,” he said.
In response to the president’s assurances, Borno State governor, Babagana Zulum, proposed a list of recommendations for the president to boost the war against terror.
He urged the president to engage the services of the mercenaries to clear the entire Sambisa forest which has served as Boko Haram’s primary base for years.
The governor also requested the immediate enlistment of Borno youths in the military and paramilitary services to complement the efforts of the Nigerian forces.
Zulum also requested more equipment for security forces battling Boko Haram, and asked for Buhari’s support in the repatriation of displaced Nigerians currently residing in Cameroon and Niger Republic.
Buhari’s war against terror
President Buhari has claimed for years, since he was first elected in 2015, that Boko Haram has been ‘technically defeated’ and posed no significant operational threat to the country.
Many of his past claims were usually ridiculed by the public, especially in light of numerous attacks carried out by Boko Haram which has terrorised the northeast for over a decade.
The Islamic sect has killed over 30,000 people and displaced millions in the restive region since its insurgency escalated in 2009.
Overall, deaths from terrorism in Nigeria are now 83% lower than at their peak in 2014, according to the 2020 Global Terrorism Index (GTI) report published last week, but Boko Haram killings increased in 2019 over the previous year.
The Islamic sect was ranked as the second deadliest terrorist group globally in 2019 ahead of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), and Al-Shabaab, and only behind the Taliban.
Nigeria remains the third most-affected by terrorism across the world, a position it first assumed in 2015 after dropping from second place.
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