Insecurity: Nigeria Shall Have Peace Again, says CDS Leo Irabor
- Nigerians have been assured that insecurity will soon be a thing of the past
- The assurance was given by General Lucky Irabor, the country's Chief of Defence Staff
- General Irabor made the declaration at a summit where all major stakeholders in the security sector were present
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The Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, has assured Nigerians that the country will experience peace again in no distant time.
The military chief made the declaration on Monday, March 22 while delivering his speech at a national defence summit in Abuja.
The event attended by a Legit.ng reporter had a theme titled: “Promoting Kinetic Operations as a major Plank for Counter-Terrorism and Counter-Insurgency in Nigeria.”
Irabor assured the audience which included Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, and the ministers of defence, information, Niger Delta and petroleum (state), that the military would enhance its kinetic operations in dealing with the prevailing security challenges confronting the nation.
His words:
“Our strategic objectives are manifold and imbued to neutralise non-state-actors and other agents of violence in our communities, forests and countryside to stabilise the security situation across the nation, to facilitate law and order; and lastly to provide the enabling environment for peace and development.
“These presuppose that the military would need support from other security agencies during the operations and would be required to give support to others at different stages of the internal security effort.
“The mandate shall be delivered; fear and despair shall be extinguished from our land. Nigeria will have peace again.”
Source: Getty Images
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Presenting the lead paper at the event, Ambassador Abdullahi A. Omaki; Executive Director Savannah Centre of Diplomacy, Democracy and Development, called for the use of disproportionate force in tackling insurgency and banditry in the country.
Ambassador Abdullahi, a former Nigerian ambassador to Chad, said:
“Kinetic operations are often associated with huge collateral damages, especially to the civilian population and this is so because the war on terror and insurgency is not a conventional war that clearly demarcates the enemy.
“Public outcries within communities, nations, even at international fora, often dominate discussions on the use of kinetic actions. So, the debate is not just peculiar to Nigeria, it is worldwide.
“There is a general reluctance on the use of kinetic operations because of the collateral impact on the civilian population. The dilemma, therefore, is finding a balance to the disproportionate use of force, to contain, stamp out and deter terrorists and insurgents, as well as other armed groups before a return to soft power approach, is possible.
“Where we are today as a nation, with respect to all the levels of threats to our national security, necessarily requires a kinetic approach to reclaim ungoverned spaces and provide assurances to our people, their safety and survival.”
The event was also attended by the National Security Adviser, Major-General Babagana Monguno (rtd) and the service chiefs.
A former national chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Professor Attahiru Jega, was one of the discussants during the panel session at the summit.
Legit.ng had earlier reported that Major General Salihi Magashi (rtd), the minister of defence, stated at the event that Nigeria is in a critical situation.
According to the minister, Nigeria's security challenges require the support and collaboration of both civilians and critical stakeholders in the nation.
Meanwhile, the Defence Headquarters, DHQ, has dismissed claims by a Yoruba activist, Sunday Adeyemo also known as Sunday Igboho that some Nigerian military personnel were on a spying mission at his residence before they were apprehended.
In a statement sent to Legit.ng on Saturday, March 20 by its acting director, Defence Media Operations, the DHQ said it has no interest in dragging or joining issues with Igboho or his associates.
The DHQ, however, stated that investigations are currently underway by Nigerian Air Force and the Nigerian Army to unravel the actual circumstances which played out on the day.
Jerrywright Ukwu is an Abuja-based senior political/defence correspondent at Legit.ng. He is a graduate of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos and the International Institute of Journalism in Abuja. He is also a member of the Nigeria Union of Journalists. He spends his leisure-time reading history books. He can be reached via email at jerrywright39@yahoo.com.
Source: Legit.ng
