Defence spokesman Major Gen. Chris Olukolade has alleged the complicity of some politicians in the ongoing insurgency in three north-east states where a state of emergency has been declared.
He made this claim on Tuesday in an interview by African Independent Television (AIT).
Olukolade advised Nigerians to support security agencies in tackling the security challenges that the country is facing, adding that the Nigerian Army is not resting on its oars to secure the release of the female students of Government College, Chibok, Borno State, who were abducted by the Boko Haram militants.
“Since the state of emergency has been declared, some politicians have been acting as if they are in close contact with these people. Imagine a senator coming out to say he has information that some of the abducted girls were being married off,” he said.
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“The other day, he also came out to say that more than three hundred people were killed. Most times, he acts as if he is their spokesman.”
Olukolade said one of the major challenges facing the military operation is the lack of credible information.
“We receive thousands of pieces of information on a daily basis. We know the worth of information in an operation like this; but most times the information we get is misleading. We don’t expect such from leaders,” he said.
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The director further said the military is restrained from discussing certain issues publicly in the interest of security and advised politicians not to abuse their right to freedom of expression.
He commended the Nigerian media for cooperating with the security agencies.
Olukolade however came down hard on the foreign media for what he describes as “ racist colouration” to project Nigeria in a bad light.
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3 comments
ofcourse, everyone knows that some of our politicians are behind Boko Haram, the question is, what has the Nigerian security agencies done to curtail the situation before now.
The army spokesman needs to explain to Nigerians how the military were not able to stop BH with two hours of advanced notice, or respond to SOS from villagers during an operation that supposedly lasted three hours. Altogether, the Nigerian security agencies had five hours within which it could have either prevented these terror squads, engaged them while they were carrying out their destructive acts, or prevent them from leaving with the girls afterwards; at every one of these opportunities, the 4th strongest army in Africa was nowhere to be found. Any wonder why the international couumnity are outrages! A dog that has long been expected to bite could not even muster the strength to bark when the time came.
Yes, I agree that some politicians are in cohorts with BH, just as some military elements were stealing weapons and selling off to the same BH.In a corrupt soiciety, everyone is tainted and every institution is negatively affected. The reason why the Nigerian army could not pass muster is because of the corrupt activities of defense contractors in collusion with the military leadership; I am sure the General has always known that.
The reality on the ground is that there is international disappointment towards the Nigerian security agencies; the world is greatly shocked that such a calamiy as the kidnapping of over 200 secondary school girls in a nation was not enough to spur the government into immediate action, until it became the laughing stock of foreign leaders; now, everyone is coming up with excuses why they failed in their duties.
If it was not the Chibok girls, it would have been something else. Let us hope that this unfortunate incident has finally woken the world to the reality on the Nigerian ground.
It is time for the real Nigeria, ugly as it may be, to emerge from its farcade.
These soldiers talk too much. If politicians are with these terrorists, they can be handled in clandestine ways and if possible eliminated. Why is the Nigerian Armed Forces a reflection of the ills of the Nigerian society? Too much talk and no action.