Barely two months to the December deadline for the nation’s Armed Forces to defeat the Boko Haram sect, one-time Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (rtd), has described the ability of the Boko Haram Islamic sect to gather intelligence as 100 per cent better than that of the nation’s security agencies.
Speaking in Sokoto on Tuesday at the opening of the new secretariat for the Catholic Diocese built by Bishop Matthew Kukah, Danjuma stressed that the fight against Boko Haram was entering its most critical stage and Nigerians “must brace up” to weather the new challenge.
He explained that following Nigeria’s successes in the territorial war, the insurgents have now devised a strategy of disappearing into wider civilian population and setting up sleeping cells who wreak havoc on softer targets.
He said this new strategy has not only bolstered the intelligence capability of the terrorists but has made them have superior surveillance techniques than Nigeria’s security agencies.
“When Boko Haram openly denounced all religions, Muhammadu Buhari called them terrorists and urged all Muslims to consider them as such,” he said.
“Later, some who chose to remain on the fence realized the threat posed to all and reluctantly joined in condemning Boko Haram.
“Having sleeping cells among the generality of the population has made them have intelligence capability that is 100 percent better than that of our security agencies,” the Chairman of Boko Haram Victims’ Support Fund stated.
Also speaking at the event, Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, said that ‘’Nigerians must not let the activities of Boko Haram sow the seed of doubt and mistrust among themselves as allowing such will be detrimental to the peaceful coexistence of various religious and ethnic groups in the country’’
He said now is the time for leaders to close ranks and work for the stability and progress of the country.
The Governor said the unity of Nigeria has been threatened by the emergence of Boko Haram; a tragedy which he said has deepened anxieties across the country.
According to him, all Nigerians must learn to put the nation and the survival of the citizenry first before any consideration. “Because if there’s no nation, there will be no space to practice our faiths,” he stated.
Similarly, the host, Bishop of Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Bishop Matthew Kukah, and the Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, said religious harmony was the only panacea to a peaceful country.