Ex-Army chief, Buratai, claims Buhari has subdued Boko Haram, ISWAP, but…

Former Chief of Army Staff and Nigeria’s Ambassador to Benin Republic, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai (retd.), has given a thumbs up to President Muhammadu Buhari, on the fight against insurgency in the country.

Buratai, in an interview with newsmen on Sunday in Abuja, said Buhari has largely fulfilled his promise of subduing Boko Haram and Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) and other terrorists in the country.

He however stated that subduing the terror groups was not enough to bring about a cessation of hostilities, as peace would only be achieved if the groups dropped their ideologies.

Buratai said Buhari, in his inaugural address on May 29, 2015, had promised to subdue the terrorist groups operating in the country, especially in the North-East and has so far, fulfilled his promise.

“I say this with every sense of responsibility that the Buhari administration has subdued the Boko Haram insurgency and terrorism,” the former COAS said.

“As his premier Chief of Army Staff, and as the longest one that served under him for that matter, I think I owe it a duty to Nigerians and the whole world to say it as it is.

“The president came fully prepared with all the right information about the root causes of the insurgency and terrorism.

“The Boko Haram insurgency was allowed to manifest before 2015 by official bungling, negligence, complacency and collusion.

“This made Boko Haram become a terrifying force, taking tens of thousands of lives and capturing several towns and villages, covering swathes of Nigerian sovereign territory.

“This is the true summary of the Boko Haram armed insurrection.

Negligence, complacency and collusion with the proponents and strategic leaders of the Boko Haram insurgency for selfish reasons, caused the insurgency to degenerate into a full-blown nightmare.

“But President Buhari had right from his inauguration, came up with clear-cut strategies to subdue the terrorists and restore peace to the North-East and Nigeria in general, and he has successfully achieved that,” he said.

The former COAS, however, added that it was wrong for Nigerians to think that victory over Boko Haram terrorists meant a total cessation of hostilities.

“A total cessation of hostilities would happen only when the terrorist groups agree to forsake their ideology, embrace democracy, respect the national constitution and cling to peace,” he said.