Army Chief – Boko Haram Are Cowards

Misbahu Bashir

30 June 2011

Members of the dreaded Boko Haram sect are cowards because they carry out attacks on innocent and defenceless people, Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Azubuike Ihejirika said in Abuja yesterday. It was the first major statement on the sect by a top security officer since the bomb attack on the Nigeria Police Headquarters in Abuja two weeks ago, for which the sect members claimed responsibility.

Speaking at a press briefing to mark this year’s Nigerian Army Day Celebrations (NADCEL), Ihejirika said Boko Haram sect members have recently adopted the strategy of attacking innocent people just to instill fear in the public not to disclose to the security agencies their whereabouts and their mode of attacks.

He said, “They are cowards. If they are not, why can’t they fight in the open? People should not be intimidated by the sect’s attack strategy and should give sufficient information on them to the security agencies.”

The Army Chief said traditional institutions and religious leaders have important roles to play in addressing the Boko Haram attacks by counseling their members to be vigilant and to share vital information with the authorities. He said the army is ready to cooperate with the public to solve all security challenges.

According to Ihejirika, soldiers will not be directly involved in the operations against the sect because their involvement was due to their being called upon to assist due to the high calibre weapons the sect members use in their attacks. The army will not lead operations on the Boko Haram issue but has reviewed tactics on how to sufficiently deal with the sect’s modus operandi, he said. He also said the sect’s mode of attack is new and requires diligent preparations.

The army chief said giving amnesty to the sect members was not the concern of the army, whose main concern is to ensure the safety of citizens. He said Nigerian borders are so porous that the influx of people with questionable character in large numbers hasn’t been checked. He said authorizes charged with the responsibility of giving foreigners living permits in Nigeria have a role to play in addressing organized crime.

People also have to be watchful not to allow foreigners with disruptive behaviour to live among them even if they share same culture and religion, he said.

Ihejirika also said the transfer of arms through borders must be checked in order to reduce or halt the circulation of illegal arms among criminals who use them to subvert the peace.

The NADCEL, which began yesterday, will end on July 6.

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