Army: We’ll not allow foreign terrorists overrun Nigeria

Christopher Musa, theatre commander of the north-east joint task force — Operation Hadin Kai — says the military will not allow the Islamic State in West African Province (ISWAP) to have a strong footing in Nigeria.

Speaking in an interview with journalists on Wednesday, in Maiduguri, Musa said ISWAP is a foreign terrorist organisation being sponsored by foreigners with some local collaborators, adding that the terrorists that are refusing to surrender belong to ISWAP.

“It is very clear that ISWAP are foreigners coming to invade our country which we will never allow to happen,” NAN quoted him as saying.

“That is why I want to encourage those of them, especially those members that are with them to pull out and understand that they have no stake in what those guys are doing.

“They don’t wish the country well, they don’t wish themselves well and we will never allow any foreigner step an inch on ground in Nigeria.”

The theatre commander said the military has advised the government on the need to adopt the system of involving the victims in dialogue on the handling of the surrendered insurgents, adding that some of the victims are military personnel.

“So, for us to even accept them has been very difficult but professionally we are meant to do that,” he said.

“Once we have those windows and they are working, we are meant to ensure that we arrest them, bring them in and then the nation will take its proper cause through constitution and that is what is going to happen.

“We want them to agree to understand fully that Operation Hadin Kai is just doing its own bit and the military operation is just one line of operation which is about 20 percent while the remaining 80 percent has to do with diplomacy, humanitarian, justice, rule of law and all these things.

“So, that is the stage we are in now.”

He said the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), the Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agencies are profiling the surrendered insurgents.

Musa said the military has invited the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to take the profiles of the ex-insurgents.

“This goes to show you that we are taking the proper procedure and nobody is going to be compromised,” he said.