As the newly appointed Chief of Army Staff Major General Tukur Buratai unveiled a new counter-terrorism strategy aimed at decisively bringing to an end the spiraling vicious attacks by the Boko Haram terrorists, a call has gone out to all Nigerians especially the critical stakeholders, religious, community, civil society and political leaders to give unqualified support for this renewed resolve of the Federal Government to end violent terrorism.

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) made the call in a statement circulated to journalists and jointly endorsed by the National Coordinator Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko and the National Media Affairs Director Miss Zainab Yusuf. It, however, called on the President Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR) and the National Assembly leadership to activate quick, effective and efficient mechanisms to resolve the crises tearing the national legislature apart so sufficient budgetary releases can be made available for the counter terrorism warfare and for effective accountability checks and balances through transparent legislative oversights to be brought to bear in the procurement of sophisticated weapons for the war against terrorists.

The Chief of Army Staff it could be recalled had only Yesterday changed the name of the counter terror battles from ‘OPERATION ZAMAN LAFIYA’ (Operation restore peace) to ‘OPERATION LAFIYA DOLE’ (operation restore peace compulsorily).

HURIWA said thus: “We note with overwhelming joy that the current brand new Federal Government headed by our President Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR) has reinvigorated the needed necessary structures and personnel at the top most levels of the Nigerian military hierarchy for waging a successful war on terror by the appointment of officers in the wisdom of the president can help him and Nigerians win the battles against these murderous and barbaric gangs of terrorists and mass genocidal killers, it is imperative for Nigerians in our numbers to render all necessary supports so these battles can be won.

We call on political party leaders to provide bipartisan and patriotic backups to the Nigerian military so they successfully comb all corners of the front line states where these terrorists have set up their bases so that a determined victory can finally be actualised and for these ongoing mass killings, maiming, displacement of millions of Nigerians can be brought to a quick end and for the perpetrators and their funding backers to be fished out, prosecuted efficiently and sanctioned with the harshest punishments available in our counter terrorism laws to serve as effective deterrents.”

“These vicious circles of impunity must be decisively brought to an end in the quickest possible time. Enough of these violent killings of our people. Government must protect lives and property of Nigerians for that is the Constitutionally stipulated primary duty of officials of government. Government necessarily derives its legitimacy and authority from the people and the moment the lives of Nigerians and the safety of their lawfully acquired assets can’t be guaranteed then that government at all levels must resign forthwith.”

The rights group also applauded the Federal Government for positively providing leadership for a renewed joint counter terrorism battles to be waged under the Economic Community of West African countries’ joint military task force to be drawn from Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Niger Republic.

HURIWA also restated her call on Nigeria to consider signing military/defence Pacts with either United States of America or United Kingdom or both since virtually all our surrounding near-by neighbours have existing binding military pacts with France.

The rights group argued that entering a Defence Pact with one or two of the developed Western or even Eastern powers like Russia or China, USA or UK would positively impact on the capacitation of our troops in terms of training and equipment with the best that the Western and Eastern Defence industries have got. HURIWA has also stated that the Nigerian State must fish out all the masterminds of these mass killings so they are subjected to the rule of law and punished even with the dead penalty to stop further expansion of the frontiers of terrorism in Nigeria.

•Photo shows Onwubiko.

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