Buhari support group brands BBOG leaders ‘socio-advocacy terrorists’

A group tagged WithBuhariWeStand has emerged to counter the activities of the BringBackOurGirls (BBOG), which it described ass practising “socio-advocacy terrorism”.

After the abduction of the Chibok girls in 2014, the group, led by Oby Ezekwesili, began pressuring the Goodluck Jonathan government into freeing the girls from captivity. It has been doing the same to the Muhammadu Buhari government.

The new group, led by Idris King, marched to the army headquarters, Abuja on Tuesday to show its support for the army and the government, and to put down the BBOG movement.

Its members carried placards with inscriptions such as: “BBOG, give some credit to the Government and the Nigerian Army for the achievement recorded in the fight against Boko Haram”, “Oby Ezekwelisi, stop politicising the rescue of Chibok Girls”, “No more business”, and “BBOG business is over”.

“What they [BBOG] came out initially to do was good but by the manner in which they are going about it now, they are distracting the government and the army,” said King who denied that his group was sponsored.

“What they are doing is simple and is what I call socio-advocacy terrorism.”

He said his group came to identify with and congratulate the armed forces, particularly the army, for its successes in the fight against Boko Haram, and to sympathise with families of soldiers who had died in the course of the war.

“We want to salute the doggedness of the Nigerian armed forces, especially the Nigerian army,” he said.

Chris Jemitola, a major-general who addressed the group on behalf of the Tukur Buratai, the chief of army staff, thanked the group for identifying with the army and commended them for their orderly conduct.

“It is quite painful that when you are doing so much, some people are out to point out fault.

He noted that security is a collective responsibility, adding that nobody could claim to love Nigeria more than Nigerians.

Jemitola, who is the army’s chief of policy and plans, urged the group to align with groups of like minds to project the country in good light.