Senate Hails Nigerian Military Over Onslaught Against Boko Haram

Posted by African Examiner Latest Headlines, Nigeria 2015 Election, Uncategorized Tuesday, March 10th, 2015

Ayodele Afolabi, Abuja – Senate has applauded the Nigerian Military and the coalition forces from Chad, Niger and Cameroon over their ongoing onslaught against Boko Haram insurgents in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States .

This was sequel to a motion moved by Senator Maaji Lawan ( APC Borno North) through point of order he raised on the need for the Senate to be informed on successes being recorded by the Nigerian military and the coalition forces from Chad, Niger and Camerron over Boko Haram insurgents in the North eastern part of the country.

Maaji in his submission before the Senate on the subject matter said since the Senate was called up to act when the insurgents were having upper hand against the Nigerian military forces, it was very necessary to also inform the Senate now that things have changed for better with the military having upper hand against the insurgents and infact, reclaiming many of the territories captured by the insurgents within the last one year.

He personally disclosed that his home town, Baga, and some others like Mungono, have been liberated from the control of the insurgents.

He said: “As this chamber is aware, I have come several times on the subject of the insurgency from terrorist takeover of Baga to direct threats to state capitals and various locations.

20 Local government were inaccessible to Nigerian authorities; painful as it may have been, we elicited the support of this Senate on all the issues

“It is only fair Mr President that this time around, when there are some cheering news, I should mention this to this senate. I want to say that several territories hitherto inaccessible to Nigerian authorities have been liberated; Mongno which is a high military zone housing a whole brigade of the Nigerian Army has been liberated.

“Bags my home town has been liberated, the effort is ongoing and I think that it is only fair that no matter what is left it is important that we appreciate what is being done and I want to say that our troops are much more up and doing and we appreciate that effort and we ask them to do more so that in the areas that they have liberated, mopping up is concluded for the communities to go back.

“I am very sure that very soon, we will hear good news from Bama and Gwoza because they are the two main areas outstanding.I want to say that I appreciate all the support of the Senate, frankly speaking I want to say that we are solidly behind our troops

“We pray that more of these successes will go on, we will continue to cooperate with our troops, we appreciate their effort and we ask that they continue with this particular stride to reclaim all Nigerian territory”.

Rising in support of Maaji’s submission, another APC senators, Bukar Abba Ibrahim, ( Yobe East), in his contribution said he concurred to all the details given by Senator Maaji Lawan on recent successes of Nigerian military against Boko Haram insurgents as there are no more captured territories aside Bama and Gwoza under the control of Boko Haram insurgency.

His words: “I rise to fully support what Senator Maina has said. All the details he has given are correct with the exception of Bama and Gworza, there is not a single local government in the North-East under the Boko Harm Control.”Even Gulani and Gujuba has been liberated even though my house is still occupied by their wives and their children but we will allow them to stay on humanitarian grounds.

So I am in total support and there is need for us to show total appreciation for what is happening not only to Nigeria but also Chad and Cameroun too we must also appreciate what they have done.

Senator Ali Ndume; (APC Borno South), also joined his colleagues in commending the military for its successful onslaught against Boko Haram in recent times as shown by what he personally observed and saw in his recent journey on road from Maiduguri to Kano.

He said: “I want to join my colleagues to commend the Nigerian Armed forces and the other countryâ€™s armed forces that joined in this war against Boko haram insurgency.’We have been crying out together for the government and the armed forces to do something and we have given them the support that is necessary in order to excute and win this war.

“Results have started coming and we have seen it everywhere. Yesterday I had to traven from Maiduguri to Kano by road, there is clearly a visible difference between what it used to be six months ago and now.In fact, in Milo, one of the villages that was completely abandoned, their market was striving and the population are going back.

“Two days ago when I got to Benishek, even political activities have started picking up in those areas.

“As distinguished maina said; when we condem and results start coming, this Senate should also stand up to commend the Nigerian Armed forces and the leadership for the great job they have been doing.I am proud of the Nigerian Armed Forces”.

Senator Chris Anyanwu (PDP Imo East), in her own contribution, expanded the scope of commendation from just the military to the Commander In Chief himself, President Goodluck Jonathan, by saying that what had happened in the past few weeks are pointers to the promise and assurances given by the President few weeks back on Boko Haram imminent defeat.

“What we have seen this morning is statesmanship and that is the way it should be and I want to say that we are proud of them for having the courage to speak truth at this time.

‘It is important that when things were not going right that you had the courage to speak out and that did help Nigeria a lot especially the armed forces, also now, against the grip of even their political parties, they are able too speak out and that is the way it should be.

“We have seen what concerted action especially at the regional level can do, it took time for Nigeria to be able to persuade our neighbors to join us in this fight.

It is unpatriotic to say when I read some times that the villages that were liberated in Nigeria were done by Niger or Cameroun that is not very nice.

“The successes recorded goes to prove that Mr President knew what he was talking about when he said give us a few weeks to really face up to this thing.I thank the Nigerian armed Forces and I say that they have to fight harder and am that they have learnt their lessons from their lack of training and weaknesses in their systems.

“We in Navy are beginning to see some of the great things done by this administration; a force that was a basket place is being rebuilt. Mr President must be applauded and also the PDP.”, she said.

Endorsing the senators’ commendation of the military in the war against the insurgents, senate President, David Mark in his closing remarks after the debate, commended all the senators who spoke well of the military and in particular , senators from the affected states.

Mark said the feats attained by the Nigerian military over Boko Haram insurgents in recent time, wouldn’t have been possible without the support of Nigeria government and her people and in particular, the collaboration between them and their counterparts from Chad, Niger and Cameroon.

He said: “Let me thank Senator Maina Lawan and all of you who have spoken; when things were not going very well, you had the courage to speak out as one united Senate and when things improved, I think you should also have the courage to say that things have improved.

“I think we must commend our boys and girls that are in the field that have been going through these hardship; clearly with the right platform, the armed forces in this country will prove themselves that they are worthy of the international reputation that they have earned.

“I must also commend the regional forces that have come to corporate with us; Chad, Niger and Cameroun, not only for their assistance but for the corporation because it takes much more than just desire to operate together because particularly, they are French speaking and we are Anglophones, it is a good regional effort and we must commend ECOWAS for this wonderful cooperation.

“Finally I think that we must encourage our boys and girls in the field out there to bring this war to a quick logical conclusion.”