The security experts who spoke at the presentation of the Annual Report on the Federal Government’s War Against Insecurity/Insurgency In Nigeria organised by the Centre for International And Strategic Studies in collaboration with the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations On Rights And Security, held at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, Wednesday night, also lauded the army for upholding human rights.
The event had in attendance a large number of CSOs from across the country.
In his welcome address, the Chancellor, Centre for International and Strategic Studies, Prof. Shaibu Danfulani, said terrorist groups like the Boko Haram, Indigenous People of Biafra, bandits, and other insurgents had been fought to a standstill by the Nigerian Army’s special forces such as Operation Lafiya Dole, Operation Python Dance, Operation Crocodile Smile, among others.
Prof. Danfulani said, “Between 2015 and 2022, Boko Haram has degraded significantly. They no longer carry out attacks on government facilities and public institutions.
“The government is working. Nigeria is safe. Kudos to the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari(retd.).
“The new inter-agency collaboration is very strong. We have several departments; the diplomats, the Department of State Service, the Army, the Air Force, the Navy; everybody is working.
“The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor, and other service chiefs have shown their passion and they have carried out the best war against insurgency…It’s a pass mark that I’m giving to the government in their efforts in addressing the security challenges.”
The keynote speaker, Prof. Katuka Yaki, urged Nigerians to be patient and have faith in the Nigerian Army, stressing that even developed nations had their own security challenges.
Prof. Yaki who was represented by Associate Professor Okpe Okpe said despite Nigeria’s huge size, the Army had been able to achieve significant success in the war against insecurity.
He said, “Irrespective of the fact that Nigeria’s security is overstretched, they have achieved a significant goal. They have achieved the goal that would be difficult for any country to write off.”
Other speakers included ASP Olugbenga Joseph (retd.), Dr. Theodore Orji, and Dr. Steven Audu, among others.
