President Muhammadu Buhari, Monday, said only the military cannot end the ongoing counterinsurgency operations in the country.
This was even as he fingered politics as the root cause of Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria. Buhari said successful counterinsurgency operations required what he called “unity of efforts across multiple Ministries, Departments and Agencies covering political, economic, law enforcement, intelligence and of course the military.”
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The president,who spoke in Abuja,while delivering a keynote address at the maiden Nigerian Air Force International Air Power Seminar with the theme “Air Power in Irregular Warfare: A Framework for Understanding and Responding”,however,reminded that his vision was to build a stable and prosperous Nigeria that would be the pride of future generations. Noting that his dream cannot be accomplished without peace, stability and security, he enjoined Nigerians to embrace reforms that will entrench true democracy in Nigeria’s polity.
“Successful counterinsurgency operations would therefore require unity of efforts across multiple Ministries, Departments and Agencies covering political, economic, law enforcement, intelligence and of course the military, in what is popularly called whole of the nation approach.
“In this regard, we have mobilised relevant agencies and international organisations to support the counterinsurgency effort in order to ensure success,”he said.
“It is common knowledge that even though we require substantial military input in combating an insurgency, its root cause is inherently political in nature,”he added. He spoke further:”
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This seminar is quite timely, in that since the outbreak of the Boko Haram crisis in the North East of Nigeria, the Nigerian Air Force and indeed the armed forces of Nigeria have been engaged in conducting counter insurgency operations that have challenged the Services’ doctrine, tactics, training, Order of Battle and force protection architecture.
“Seminars like this are thus, necessary for armed forces like the Nigerian Air Force to draw from the experiences of other armed forces that have either previously or are currently engaged in counter insurgency operations.
“I must therefore commend the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar, for this initiative.”