Nigeria Government Encouraged with Military Offensive Progress

An advisor to Nigeria’s President Goodluck
Jonathan says the government is encouraged
by the progress of the ongoing military
offensive against the Islamic militant
sect, Boko Haram.
“The majority of the various camps where
the terrorists have converted into their
hideouts have been heavily bombarded, both
by air and on land. And I’m just
receiving a report that about 55 persons
apart from [at least] 20 people were
killed yesterday and another 55 people
were apprehended yesterday in their
attempt to flee from the various camps,”
said advisor Doyin Okupe. "The progress is
quite encouraging and we believe that if
things go on like this, we should be
singing hallelujah shortly.”
Okupe, Jonathan’s senior special assistant
on public affairs says the objective of
the military offensive is to end the Boko
Haram insurgency to save life and
property.
“That’s the mandate that the president
gave to the military and security forces
that they must do everything within their
power, within the rule of law and
reasonable engagement policies that are
acceptable to the international community
to ensure that this menace is ended as
quickly as possible and still obeying the
rule of engagement,” he said.
But some human rights groups have accused
the military of using excessive force,
which they said have led to gross human
rights violations. Human Rights Watch says
Boko Haram-related violence has killed an
estimated 3,000 people since 2009, a toll
that includes killings by security
forces. Okupe says the military is not to
blame for the security crisis.
“Many of these things that have been
publicized in the past have been directly
aimed at tarnishing the image of the
military,” continued Okupe. "There are
local interests within those areas who are
sympathetic to the cause of the Boko
Haram, but who are also very influential.
And they have done all this propaganda to
find a way to remove the military from
this front and to allow Boko Haram to
thrive.”
Okupe also rejected criticisms the
administration has declared war on the
country’s north following the deployment
of troops to deal with Boko Haram.
The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has
accused President Jonathan of declaring
war on some states in the country’s
north. Last week Jonathan declared a
state of emergency in three northern
states following an upsurge in violence
carried out by Boko Haram.
“There is no reason why President Jonathan
will declare war on any part of this
country. If there is anything that has
been declared it is a war against the
insurgents the rebels and the terrorists
that have engaged in mindless killings of
Nigerians, bombings of religious places of
worship and institutions and killings of
security agents,” said Okupe.
Okupe says the government will continue to
accommodate various views across the
country by engaging in dialogue as part of
an effort to resolve the country’s
security challenges.