The National Democratic Front (NDF) has expressed satisfaction with the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai and the troops of the Nigerian Army in the ongoing war against insurgency and terrorism.
In a statement signed by Secretary-General, Dr Bolaji Abdulkadir, on Wednesday, the pro-democracy group hailed the successes of various clearance operations, adding that the COAS and troops have proven their commitment to defending the territorial integrity of the country.
Among others, the NDF said the decimation of Boko Haram/ ISWAP leaders in Wulgo and Sabon Tumbun in Borno and capture of bandits and kidnappers in Ottu Forest along the Abuja-Lokoja expressway is a sign of more to come.
“Nigeria’s military chiefs and their troops have proven that their institutions remain committed to defending the territorial integrity of Nigeria while providing security to ensure that citizens are able to carry on with their lives without fear of harm as expected in a democracy,” Abdulkadir said.
“These recent successes are a befitting response to those that have been peddling pro-terrorist propaganda that the government of Nigeria and its military were not doing enough to protect the civilian population. With the routing of these terrorists and bandits, the naysayers have again been proven wrong.
“The National Democratic Front, therefore, lauds these recent outings of the Nigerian military in tackling the insurgents, bandits and kidnappers head-on despite all distractions. It is on this basis that we urge the leadership of the various military services to continue to rise above these distractions so that they are able to meet the expectations of Nigerians like they are currently doing”.
The NDF, however, advised those secretly sponsoring and supporting terrorism to quit as an end is already in sight.
While calling on patriotic citizens to continue to rally round the COAS and troops, the group charged the army to intensify its onslaught on terrorists, bandits and kidnappers.
“We challenge those that have been covertly strengthening the terrorists to turn a new leave, do the right thing, and withdraw support for these killers now that it is apparent that their end has come. It will be most irresponsible for anyone or group, local or international, to continue supporting the terrorists knowing the danger they pose to everyone and the long-term corporate integrity of Nigeria,” the statement added.
“NDF appeals to Nigerians to rally round the military, especially in the area of volunteering information and intelligence that will speed up the operation to end terrorism in Nigeria. Citizens should also help move the war against terrorism to the next level by exposing closet terrorists’ supporters and sympathizers since it has now been proven that they are the ones that help the terrorists to regroup each time they are decimated to the point of annihilation.
“We urge the Federal Government to strengthen the position of the military and those of the service chiefs by ignoring the distractions of those that are unrepentantly critical of the security architecture of the country without recourse to the positives that have been recorded.
“NDF appeals to the military to intensify its onslaught on terrorists, bandits and kidnappers in a way that they are not able to recover again”.
