Nigerian Military Tables Challenges On Anti-Terror War Before Buhari…Demands More Money

Environmental and logistical challenges facing the Nigerian military in their task to flush out Boko Haram insurgents from the country were today tabled before President Muhammadu Buhari with a request for more money to be able to meet the December deadline given them by the Commander in chief. Some of the identified hindrances include unfavourable weather conditions in the Northeast and the absence of sufficient logistics.  

The service chiefs led by the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin, briefed the president on their demands and other security issues during a meeting at the Presidential Villa. Impressed by the success recorded so far, Buhari was said to have granted their demands.

Speaking  to State House correspondents at the end of the meeting,  Olonisakin ‎said the meeting was held to review the terrorism war in the North East as well as the December deadline the President asked them to end insurgency. According to the CDS  “We briefed the President on the security situation on ground after a 60-day review and we had to brief him on the challenges we have and ensure that the mandate we have is properly delivered.

“Of course, the challenges we are looking at are the issues of probably the weather as it were and some other logistics that we feel we should have so that the mandate can be quickly delivered.”‎

On whether they are considering seeking extension for the December deadline to end insurgency, Olonisakin said, “We have not said that. The mandate is that we should clear Boko Haram from the occupied territories and ensure that we reclaim all the lost grounds. That is exactly what we are doing.”

On feasibility of the deadline considering the challenges enumerated, Olonisakin‎ said, “It is a military operation and military operations have timelines and these timelines, we are working on them assiduously.”

He said the United States and the United Kingdom had been helping the nation’s troops in capacity building, adding that any additional tangible assistance from the countries would be made public. 

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Aliyu Ismaila, also told newsmen that Buhari was happy with the exploits of the leadership of the armed forces so far and has expressed confidence they would do the nation proud.  

He said, “We are here to brief the President on the situation of what armed forces have been doing in the North East and the South South. That is exactly what we discussed with Mr. President.

“The directive (from the President) is that we should continue what we have been doing and in the next few days, there will be another meeting. But by and large, the President is excited and confident that the leadership of the Nigerian armed forces that he puts in will do us proud.”