A political pressure group, Centre for Social Justice, Equity and Transparency (CESJET) has warned that countries whose envoys blackmail and cook up stories about Nigeria should desist from such despicable acts in their own interest.

Such diplomats, it said, should find other means of making money for their countries without portraying Nigeria in bad light.

The organisation said that by portraying Nigeria as unstable, they would ultimately be disrupting the businesses and investments of their citizens.

The Executive Director of CESJET, Joyce Ogwu, expressed these feelings in a statement issued on Tuesday in Maiduguri.

She was reacting to what she described “the unbroken chain of Christmas success against Nigeria’s security threats under President Muhammadu Buhari.”

While congratulating the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, and the Nigerian Army for the victory, CESJET said his message to soldiers to sustain the momentum in the war against terrorism was a testimony to the commitment and focus with which the Nigerian Army had prosecuted issues pertaining to Nigeria’s security.

Ogwu said: “CESJET advises countries that are quick to portray Nigeria as unstable to desist from such pointless venture since they ultimately disrupt the businesses and investments of their citizens with their scare tactic. Such attitude serves to confirm these countries as state backers of terrorism even when they make outward shows of being against terrorists.

“While it is understandable that Nigeria is undergoing a challenging time, it is inconceivable that envoys of these nations have become indolent to the point of cooking up armchair reports about Nigeria. The world now knows that the more unstable and difficult they paint life in Nigeria, the more funds they get from their respective governments for risks and hazard allowances. They must however find other means of making money without portraying Nigeria in bad light.

“Latest events in the aftermath of their alarmist advisories have made it evidently clear that we have defeated our adversaries and that it is time they tell themselves the bitter truth for once.”

She hailed Buhari over his support for the Army, which, she said, had resulted in a peaceful 2017 Christmas “even when doomsayers had given the impression that Nigeria would drown in rivers of blood from their predicted attacks hidden behind travel advisories to their nationals.”

CESJET said: “The directives to soldiers would last beyond the Yuletide to make lasting impacts on Nigeria’s security in the months and even years ahead especially since 2018 will prove to be a turning point for those that had resolved to not allow the country have peace.

“There are lessons for the world to learn from how the Nigerian Army, under the present leadership, has fought terrorism and those looking to rubbish Nigeria’s achievements in this regard will do well to be humble enough in admitting when feats have been performed even in the face of their sabotage.

“We urge the Nigerian Army and the COAS disregard the distraction constituted by such envoys and their nations but to instead focus on delivering on their promise to Nigerians to see the last of Boko Haram terrorism.”

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