Boko Haram 134: Our military have lightened our spirits in spite of Covid-19 – African women network

The Africa Women Arise for Change Network (AWACN) has hailed the Nigerian military’s final clearance operation against Boko Haram terrorists as the sole bright spot in an utterly gloomy COVID-19 season.

AWACN, in a statement on Wednesday, said the troops of Operation Lafiya Dole have gladdened the hearts of African women with its recent onslaught on the fleeing terrorists.

Led by Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General T.Y Buratai, the Nigerian Army has recorded tremendous success over the insurgents, with the most recent exterminating 134.

In a statement by its President, Lady Nkechi Odoma, the group expressed delight with the COAS and his men for this magnificent feat amidst the rampaging coronavirus that has consumed nearly 300,000 lives worldwide.

As women, AWACN said they were the worst hit by terror activities ranging from deaths of their husbands, children and even rape.

The women network congratulated the COAS, describing him as “ a responsible husband and family man who feels our pains and who has been in the theatre of operation with the troops for the past five weeks”.

AWACN, however, urged the Army Chief and his troops not to take their foot of the peddle as they are only a stone throw away from victory.

Read full statement below:

Recent news coming from the theatre of the military operation in Northeast Nigeria and the Lake Chad region has gladdened the hearts of African women like no other thing has done in the recent past.

Women in Africa are happy that Nigerian troops by their gallantry and patriotism are proving that evil can never have a permanent victory over good and that finally, our tears as key stakeholders in the family unit would be permanently wiped away.

You may wish to know that women have borne the brunt of the activities of these terrorists the more as they have made many of us widows, many have been victims of rape and forced marriages, while many have been dispossessed of all they have including their children.

It comes to us therefore as not only cheery but reassuring that Troops of Operation Lafiya Dole (OPLD) eliminated 134 Boko Haram/Islamic States of West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists and arrested 16 informants in Borno State, Nigeria recently.

These are the groups responsible for the worst horror visited on African women in recent times.

Though the general mood the world over is that of angst and grief occasioned by the ravaging effect of the Coronavirus, which has also claimed hundreds of thousands of lives the world over, bright sparks that illuminate the horizon should not be neglected.

We see the recent victory of Nigerian troops as one of such sparks that is worth celebrating because of the overall impact it would have on bringing the inhuman carnage in Northeast Nigeria and the Lake Chad Region under control as well as restore peace and development in Nigeria.

By now, the world is aware that the ongoing subsidiary operation in the North East Theatre of Operation, code-named ‘Operation Kantana Jimlan, led by no other than the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai, is yielding great success.

Since the Chief of Army Staff relocated to the theatre of war, Nigerian troops have moved from one success story to another and these have given us hope that a total victory over the evil forces of ISWAP and Boko Haram terrorists is not only certain but will be sooner than expected.

To our pride and happiness, Nigerian troops through a coordinated artillery bombardments on Timbuktu triangle conducted on May 1 and 2, destroyed seven Boko Haram Gun Trucks while 78 Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters were killed through both aerial and human intelligence and within the same period, another successful artillery engagement to Buk in Damboa Local Government Area of Borno State resulted in the neutralization of an additional 56 BHT criminals bringing the total of the terrorists liquidated within a spate of two days to 134!

Such acts of bravely being repeated by Nigeria troops in recent operations will surely hasten the liquidation of the evil terrorists groups in Nigeria and will make way for a return to normalcy in many of the ravaged communities and make us, the women, happy.

It will also send a strong signal to other insurgents that the days when their evil activities were being tolerated are over.

We note the precision on targets and assault on the strongholds of the Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists in the most professional and efficient manners.

Indeed we can say that the Nigerian Military is one of the best in Africa if not the entire world.

Another commendable aspect of the exercise is that 16 high profile Boko Haram and ISWAP informants have also been identified and apprehended.

With the rounding up of these informants, the intelligence and information gathering network of the Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists would be weakened and it is not unexpected to hear very soon the insurgents begging to surrender since their sources of information have been blocked and their further resistance would be akin to groping in the dark.

We congratulate the Chief of Army Staff, General Buratai, a responsible husband and family man who feels our pains and who has been in the theatre of operation with the troops for the past five weeks.

We note that his presence and participation in operations has greatly inspired the troops leading to.the success being recorded at the battle field.

We also commend the troops who have by their acts of gallantry given the citizenry a course to rejoice at a time of when the general mood the world over has not been that bright.

We urge the chief of army staff not to relent but pursue the fight to its logical conclusion more so as victory is at sight.

We assure the Chief of Army Staff of the cooperation of the citizenry especially women towards ensuring that the battle is won.

God bless the Chief of Army Staff and God be with our troops until the final victory over evil is achieved.