Coalition Against Terrorism and Extremism, CATE, a coalition of over 5000 Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) Tuesday in Abuja held a rally in appreciation of the success made by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari and the current military leadership in the war against Boko Haram insurgents.
Addressing journalists during the rally which kicked off at the Federal Secretariat and ended at the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Secretary General of the Coalitions, Comrade Daniel Obaje, said since the government of President Buhari came into office, significant progress had been made in addressing the security breaches that had threatened the integrity of Nigeria.
He said areas where Boko Haram once set up camps had been cleared, adding that some displaced persons were already beginning to return to their homeland.
He said: “The Army freed over 5000 persons that the terrorists once held captive even as efforts are being intensified to free those that are yet to regain freedom.”
Remnants of the terrorists are risking death to flee across the desert into the Mediterranean. The group in its defeat can only now think of hit and run attacks by drug addled fighters who now increasingly opt to fail in their assignment so that the military can capture them for rehabilitation.
“The recent weeks have seen the higher echelon of Boko Haram decimated with several commanders killed in troops’ operations. Others have been captured, which has left the group being fragmented with split in its leadership. Everything points to a group that has been finished.
“We therefore want to urge Mr. President not to relent in continuing with measures that will ensure Boko Haram terrorists are not allowed to regroup anywhere on our territory ever again. In fact, we urge that Nigeria does all that is necessary to make sure these killers do not regroup in Cameroon, Chad and Niger Republic, all of which share borders with us.”
Responding on behalf of the SGF, Ibrahim Bapetel Hasan, Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to President Buhari on Policy Development Analysis said the report would be passed to the president.
