Of the identical betrayal now being repeated, it can be recalled that a most avid author and analyst, Victoria Ibezim-Ohaeri on March 10th, penned in PremiumTimes:
“Disbanding the JTF is apparently one of the worst things that ever happened to the security crisis in the north east. Ever since a military division was established to take over from JTF, the security infrastructure over there appears to be on the verge of total collapse, while most of the skilled military personnel may have been transferred out of the region. Comparatively speaking, the JTF did well!
Under JTF, it could not have been possible for gun men to operate for hours without intense combat by our security forces.” Read full from source:
[https://blogs.premiumtimesng.com/2014/03/10/boko-haram-options-military-victoria-ibezim-ohaeri/]
Do we not learn anything from history? Why does the Nigerian president, in our faces, decide to keep promoting and preserving Boko Haram? If he believes as he said in 2012, that they, the terrorists are his siblings who he cannot kill, shall we not reject this with all the strength and means we have and implore the global community join us in expelling such a leadership that fraternizes with terrorists?
In May of 2013 after calls from us, the Jonathan government reluctantly finally declared a State of Emergency, SoE in the affected north. The result of this was that by August Nigeria had significantly crushed Boko Haram and declared Abubakar Shekau I dead.
Suddenly, on August 19th, the Military announced the disbanding of the JTF. The result of this is known to all. Boko Haram who our military were rooting out from holes in the ground like rats, was given the chance to grow and return to full strength. They were left to recuperate in Sambisa forest from where they staged repeated attacks on passenger buses of Nigerian citizens plying near-by roads and abducted thousands of youth to be forcibly conscripted. It seems more than a coincidence that the same August 19th that Ihejirika announced the disbandment of the JTF, on that same date, the release of a French kidnapped Family in Cameroon was announced. The French reportedly paid Boko Haram $3.15 million dollars and had Cameroon release top Boko Haram commanders as part of an expansive secret deal with the sect.
So as Boko Haram was about to be extinguished, on August 19th, 2013 last year, they suddenly got their commanders released, got sponsored by the French with $3.15 million dollars and also in what some analysts believe was part of the deal to release the French family, got the Jonathan-Ihejirika government to disband the JTF and in effect create a pseudo ceasefire state to allow them to recuperate. In addition the Civilian-JTF were also neutralized at that same period, now disallowed from continuing their successful missions against the terrorists as they were now ordered by Ihejirika to fill ridiculous forms and go through impossible protocols for authorization.
Fast-forward to 2014. In April this year, the abduction of over 234 girls forced the hand of the Jonathan government to handle Boko Haram with more mature gloves as against the “kid gloves” President Jonathan admitted in Nairobi, to using against terrorists who have killed tens of thousands and totally destroyed life especially for farmers in the north of the nation.
Global attention to the plight of Nigeria caused the Jonathan government to amp military attacks against the terrorists. Like 2013, as soon as victory was being felt and the final defeat of the terrorists was within reach, and “coincidentally” just as Abubakar Shekau II was killed, the government once again and to the dismay of all intelligent people, suddenly announced a unilateral cessation of fire.
The reason why we call this “ceasefire” unilateral is because since the so-called ceasefire, Boko Haram has killed dozens of persons including notable Nigerians like the father of the Speaker of Borno; and has captured and annexed even more territory. Abadam town on the border with Niger fell to the terrorists on October 19th while the so-called ceasefire was in effect. Additionally there can never be a ceasefire with terrorists who have annexed and “govern” several towns in sovereign Nigeria. The territorial integrity of Nigeria is not negotiable.
Do we not learn anything from history? Why does the Nigerian president, in our faces, decide to keep promoting and preserving Boko Haram? If he believes as he said in 2012, that they, the terrorists are his siblings who he cannot kill, shall we not reject this with all the strength and means we have and implore the global community join us in expelling such a leadership that fraternizes with terrorists?
In May of 2013 after calls from us, the Jonathan government reluctantly finally declared a State of Emergency, SoE in the affected north. The result of this was that by August Nigeria had significantly crushed Boko Haram and declared Abubakar Shekau I dead.
Suddenly, on August 19th, the Military announced the disbanding of the JTF. The result of this is known to all. Boko Haram who our military were rooting out from holes in the ground like rats, was given the chance to grow and return to full strength. They were left to recuperate in Sambisa forest from where they staged repeated attacks on passenger buses of Nigerian citizens plying near-by roads and abducted thousands of youth to be forcibly conscripted. It seems more than a coincidence that the same August 19th that Ihejirika announced the disbandment of the JTF, on that same date, the release of a French kidnapped Family in Cameroon was announced. The French reportedly paid Boko Haram $3.15 million dollars and had Cameroon release top Boko Haram commanders as part of an expansive secret deal with the sect.
So as Boko Haram was about to be extinguished, on August 19th, 2013 last year, they suddenly got their commanders released, got sponsored by the French with $3.15 million dollars and also in what some analysts believe was part of the deal to release the French family, got the Jonathan-Ihejirika government to disband the JTF and in effect create a pseudo ceasefire state to allow them to recuperate. In addition the Civilian-JTF were also neutralized at that same period, now disallowed from continuing their successful missions against the terrorists as they were now ordered by Ihejirika to fill ridiculous forms and go through impossible protocols for authorization.
Fast-forward to 2014. In April this year, the abduction of over 234 girls forced the hand of the Jonathan government to handle Boko Haram with more mature gloves as against the “kid gloves” President Jonathan admitted in Nairobi, to using against terrorists who have killed tens of thousands and totally destroyed life especially for farmers in the north of the nation.
Global attention to the plight of Nigeria caused the Jonathan government to amp military attacks against the terrorists. Like 2013, as soon as victory was being felt and the final defeat of the terrorists was within reach, and “coincidentally” just as Abubakar Shekau II was killed, the government once again and to the dismay of all intelligent people, suddenly announced a unilateral cessation of fire.
The reason why we call this “ceasefire” unilateral is because since the so-called ceasefire, Boko Haram has killed dozens of persons including notable Nigerians like the father of the Speaker of Borno; and has captured and annexed even more territory. Abadam town on the border with Niger fell to the terrorists on October 19th while the so-called ceasefire was in effect. Additionally there can never be a ceasefire with terrorists who have annexed and “govern” several towns in sovereign Nigeria. The territorial integrity of Nigeria is not negotiable.
Boko Haram currently controls and governs over Bama, Gwoza, Marte, Ngala, Konduga, Dikwa and Abadam and is continuing to annex more territory as they engaged the Nigerian military at Damboa and other cities this weekend. Our foot soldiers are perplexed with the betrayal from the top. Anything akin to a ceasefire proposal between Nigeria and the terrorists must detail immediate and total relinquishment of all occupied territory and surrender of fighters and ammunitions by the Boko Haram terrorists.
Again do we say it is by coincidence that the latest ceasefire as happened in 2013, was right when Boko Haram was again sponsored with $400,000 by the French nations and given sophisticated arms and ammunitions, delivered to its commanders on the field by the Presidents of Chad and Cameroon as contained in the recent hostage release deal? What is really going on here? These things are being done right in our faces.
The question now is, after the Jonathan government successfully got the approval it wanted to borrow $1 billion dollars to “crush Boko Haram;” when are we going to return to the war front to recapture our territory and protect the hundreds of thousands of civilians in Boko Haram controlled Nigerian land?
Has Jonathan abandoned #VictoryForNigeria? And replaced it with #VictoryForBokoHaram?
The Borno elders have denounced this betrayal; we expect all Nigerian elders and statesmen to urgently combat this treasonable delay that mortgages life and the territorial integrity of this nation and sponsors and promotes the enemies of Nigeria.
Again do we say it is by coincidence that the latest ceasefire as happened in 2013, was right when Boko Haram was again sponsored with $400,000 by the French nations and given sophisticated arms and ammunitions, delivered to its commanders on the field by the Presidents of Chad and Cameroon as contained in the recent hostage release deal? What is really going on here? These things are being done right in our faces.
The question now is, after the Jonathan government successfully got the approval it wanted to borrow $1 billion dollars to “crush Boko Haram;” when are we going to return to the war front to recapture our territory and protect the hundreds of thousands of civilians in Boko Haram controlled Nigerian land?
Has Jonathan abandoned #VictoryForNigeria? And replaced it with #VictoryForBokoHaram?
The Borno elders have denounced this betrayal; we expect all Nigerian elders and statesmen to urgently combat this treasonable delay that mortgages life and the territorial integrity of this nation and sponsors and promotes the enemies of Nigeria.
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