The Nigerian military must jettison its approach of repelling Boko Haram attacks and instead launch attacks of its own against the insurgents, Pogu Bitrus, national chairman of Chibok development association (pictured, middle), said on Tuesday.
Speaking with TheCable, Bitrus expressed the disappointment of the Chibok community at the resumed fighting between government forces and Boko Haram, as well as the botched negotiations to release the 219 abducted girls.
He noted that the community had received news of negotiations between the government and Boko Haram to release the girls with cautious optimism, but with the recent development, the government must now stage a strong offensive against the terror group.
“Hope will never cease in the Chibok community. We believe we will get the girls some day. The technique for getting the girls is the issue. Unless the sect is defeated, the way things are going, it will not be easy,” he said.
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“The military should change its technique and start attacking Boko Haram instead of waiting for the sect to attack while they defend communities. That way the insurgency would be wiped out.
“However, the negotiations should continue. You cannot negotiate in a position of weakness, so the government should step up its fight against Boko Haram. Certainly there is disappointment in Chibok regarding the new development, but we had received the news of the negotiations with Boko Haram with cautious optimism.”
On October 17, the Nigerian government had announced a ceasefire with Boko Haram. It also disclosed that negotiations with the terror group were ongoing to secure the release of the abducted girls.
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However, a week after the announcement, Boko Haram attacked communities in Borno and Adamawa.
Finally on October 31, leader of the terror group ‘Abubakar Shekau’ announced in a video released to AFP that there was no ceasefire deal with the government and that the girls had been married off.
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