…Challenges Service Chiefs to take back duty from Asari-Dokubo’s mercenaries

A civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), on Wednesday, tasked the newly appointed Service Chiefs to rebuild the failing intelligence gathering capacities of the Armed Forces and ensure unprecedented harmony and synergy in the nation’s counter-terror operations on land, air and water.

HURIWA, in a statement by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, tasked the new top echelons in the military to embrace teamwork and cooperation as they go all-out against the enemies of Nigeria and those threatening the territorial integrity of the country.

The group said collaborations, especially between the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Air Force and the Nigerian Navy, would avert so many avoidable military airstrike casualties at the Boko Haram theatre of war in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states, amongst other places, where insurgents and bandits were operating unchallenged.

HURIWA also urged the new Chief of Defence Staff, Maj. Gen. C.G Musa; the new Chief of Army Staff, Maj. Gen T. A Lagbaja; the new Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral E. A Ogall; and the new Chief of Air Staff, AVM H.B Abubakar, to work collaboratively and stamp out unprofessional conduct and indiscipline, as well as weed out saboteurs within the Armed Forces.

The group said there was a need for comprehensive reforms with the military, stressing that fighters who have lost touch with their constitutional obligations must be re-conscientised, even as the Nigerian Army celebrates the 2023 Army Day.

HURIWA also challenged the new Service Chiefs to take back the original responsibility of the Armed Forces from the mercenaries of an ex-Niger Delta militant, Mujaheed Asari Dokubo, who boasted weeks ago at the Presidential Villa that his men were contracted to secure the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway from murderous bandits and terrorists.

HURIWA’s statement reads in part: “Congratulations are in order to the new Service Chiefs and we have written letters to them individually on this. However, it is important for them to sit up quick and act, as Nigerians are tired of non-fruitful security meetings with the President at Aso Rock whilst thousands are being killed annually by terrorists, bandits and deadly herders all over the country.

“The new Service Chiefs must rebuild the failing intelligence gathering capacities of the Armed Forces, restore harmony in counter-terror operations, restore professional conduct and discipline. The military is definitely in need of comprehensive reforms and the operatives who have lost touch with their constitutional obligations must be conscientised.

“As the Army celebrates this year's Army Day, the Army Chief should be worried that an individual in the person of Asari Dokubo openly castigated the military institution as being incapable of combating terrorists and armed bandits all over Nigeria thus necessitating the contracting of his armed mercenaries to carry out the lawful duties of operatives and officers of The Armed Forces of Nigeria. This is a big shame and it is a bigger shame that the new Service Chiefs have not contradicted this claim by a former militant in the person of Asari Dokubo.

“So, instead of celebrating Army Day, the Armed Forces should roll out their valid, constructive and credible response to the challenge thrown at them by Asari Dokubo and his armed group. The Army should not be celebrating gross incompetence.”

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