Boko Haram: Nigeria at war – NLC

By A’isha Biola Raji

…Urges military to reclaim its honour

The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has said that the nation is at war, as it urged the security agents to retrieve their reputation, as it is alarming the rate at which the nation is losing grounds in the war against the Boko Haram insurgents.

In a statement yesterday, signed by the General Secretary of NLC, Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson, the NLC said that the efforts of security agents handling insurgency was commendable but called for improvement on loopholes.

The statement read in part: “We stand by our security forces in these trying times in their engagement with Boko Haram insurgents. We believe in their capacity and resolve to get done the job of containing the insurgents.

“We acknowledge that this is not a regular war. We appreciate other challenges of our security forces among which are logistics, numbers, indiscipline, motivation and others.

“We are however worried by the consistent loss of territory by troops that are supposed to be the pride of the nation to a band of insurgents, perhaps not more than a battalion or two, poorly trained and relatively ill-equipped but whose foremost strength is their resolve to fight!

“It is saddening that all but half the North East, the size of many countries, is under the control of the insurgents.”

NLC, in the statement, also reminded the security agents of the oath they took to protect Nigeria territory.

“Our soldiers swore to an oath to maintain the territorial integrity as well defend the sovereignty of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Today that sanctity is being violated with ease, the land is being desecrated and the bloods of the innocent freely flow.

“Today, painfully, our armed forces have become the butt of jokes in not a few diplomatic circles, as our soldiers have acquired for themselves the unenviable reputation of turning tail and becoming refugees at the slightest threat of a skirmish,” the NLC lamented.

According to the NLC, “it is alarming to note that, while Nigerian forces are retreating from the Boko Haram in various battle fronts, the sect has opened a new offensive that of winning hearts in conquered territories.

The congress, however, urged the security agents to liberate and hold those occupied territories forthwith. “We call on the government to avail our security forces all that they need to accomplish this task.

“We similarly urge our communities in the conflict area to build synergy with our security forces. This is no longer an in eternal security issue; Nigeria is at war. The body language and attitude of our leaders must show this,” the statement concluded.