The Buhari Media Organization (BMO) has thanked Nigerians for their support to the security agencies in the fight against insurgency and armed banditry in the country.
In a statement highlighting the “steady, impactful and strategic progress made by the Buhari-led administration in restoring peace nationwide”, the group called on Nigerians to support and cooperate with the security agencies in restoring internal security.
In the statement signed by its Chairman, Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary, Cassidy Madueke, the group noted that “the security architecture of the country has been re-jigged for optimal success as experienced in the various operations by the security agencies with the aim of safeguarding the citizens, as enshrined in the Constitution.”
BMO posited that, “the government made significant military gains, reducing the number of Boko Haram attributed deaths from more than 5,000 in 2015 to less than 1,000 in the past couple of years.
“There is no country that doesn’t have its own share of security problems. It is left for those who superintend the affairs of that country to take decisive actions that will effectively nip such problems in the bud.
“Before President Muhammadu Buhari’s arrival, Nigeria was a theatre of the absurd. Ragtag armies of insurgents carved out empires by dominating every security apparatus in that area. People in the North-East and North-West were becoming accustomed to the sounds of bomb blasts. Right from his acceptance speech, President Buhari directed the military to redeploy their operational bases to Maiduguri. This underscored his desire for a more secure nation”.
The group, while acknowledging that there can be no social or economic advancement where there is no security, said “this government is not just focusing on security, but investing in peace-building, reconstruction, reconciliation, reintegration and socio-economic development of the people.
“ We use this medium to salute our heroic uniformed personnel for paying the supreme price for the stability of our dear nation, and commend our international allies for their immense support.
“Terrorism isn’t something you defeat completely. Dislodging terrorists, reducing the rate of attack, and giving them a good platform for their annihilation is a good way to start”.
The pro-Buhari group cited a chart from Channels TV, which revealed that there were “1,655 attacks from 2015 till date, compared to 2,552 attacks from 2010 to 2015, signalling about 50% reduction in the number of attacks. Terrorists have been degraded”.
BMO noted that, “the government has taken decisive decisions to rid the country of criminals. Recently, the Kaduna-Abuja expressway became a springboard for criminals and kidnappers. The government launched into a strategic offensive code-named Operation Puff Adder, an operation that involves collaboration between various security agencies to rid the country of criminals.
“Operation Harbin Kunama, now in it’s 4th part, was launched to tackle banditry in Zamfara, and dislodge insurgents; operation Whirlstroke was launched to tackle the farmers/ herdsmen clashes in the the North-Central part of the country. Exercise Egwu Eke, aka Python Dance 1 and 2 was launched to dismantle criminals in South-East Nigeria. Operation Awatse was also launched to fight pipeline vandalism in Lagos and Ogun states, Operation Lafiya Dole was Nigeria’s counter-insurgency exercise in the Northeast.
“These exercises are in addition to other strategies, such as; the 40,000 Community Policing Officers (CPOs) to be recruited by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF). The CPOs are expected to complement the Police in law enforcement functions within their localities by performing low-risk and non-sensitive duties.
“The CPOs will be recruited from within the communities where the prospective applicants reside and an average of 50 CPOs are to be engaged in each of the 774 Local Government Areas.”
BMO also lauded the collaborations between Nigeria and her neighbouring countries under the auspices of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) as a successful operations.
“This partnership has allowed for more expansion, like the newly established forward base at Diffa, Niger Republic, which would encourage cross-border strikes”, the statement added.