Boko Haram Plans to Destroy Nigeria, Says Okoh

Posted by admin Boko Haram, Headlines Friday, May 18th, 2012

Army Trains Another Batch of Anti-Terrorist Squard To Combat Insecurity

• US Mulls Designating Sect As International Terror Group

THE Primate Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh, has expressed fear that the Islamic Terrorist group, Boko Haram plans to destroy Nigeria, if given the chance.

While charging Christians to intensify prayer against the sect carrying out their recent threats, Okoh urged government at all levels to have the political will to fight the menace.

This is just as the Counter-terrorism and Counter Insurgency Centre (CTCOIN) of the Nigerian Army School of Infantry (NASI) in Jaji, Kaduna State turned out another batch of 396 soldiers, who received special training in counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency for the purpose of combating insecurity in Nigeria.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony yesterday, NASI Commandant, Major-Gen. Kenneth Osuji explained that the decision of the Army authorities to train soldiers under the programme was because “the internal security in Nigeria today has created security challenges, which were hitherto alien to the country.”

Okoh, who stated this while delivering the Bishop’s charge at the second session of the eight Synod held yesterday in Abuja, noted that the various demands made by Boko Haram do not have bearing on their attacks, as they are rather bent on inflicting pains and injuries on innocent Nigerians.

He said: “The Boko Haram group is implacably sworn to destroying Nigeria, unless their interest and the interest of their sponsors prevail.”

Regretting that the insurgency of the Niger Delta militant group introduced insecurity in the country that has refused to go away, he said the fear of political and economic insecurity that has overwhelmed everyone might fuel speculation in some quarters that Nigeria will divide by 2015.

Okoh, however, tasked President Goodluck Jonathan to summon the assembly of the faithful, so as to pray to God to heal the land.

The cleric attributed insecurity in the country to the aftermath of the civil war and the transferring of mission schools to government during the regime of Gen. Yakubu Gowon.

He added: “In our country, the Islamic sect, Boko Haram, has reduced the Northeastern axis to a shadow of its old self, just as kidnapping has done to the Southeast and South-South.

“The economic and social lives of the people have virtually been ruined, with terror reported both in the cities and the villages.”

Speaking on the theme, ‘God is our Refuge and Strength, a very present help in trouble,’ he urged the faithful not to be deterred by what is happening around them, as God will surely fight for us.

Lamenting that both leaders and citizens have alienated themselves from God, Okoh said: “We should not worry too much about the presence of evil doers, but be seriously concerned whether the citizens, church, government have alienated themselves from God by forsaking him and seeking solutions in political cults, man-made gods and god-fatherism.”

The primate, however, assured that God is in Nigeria and will not fail, in spite of the menace of Boko Haram, kidnappers and armed robbers.

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, in a remark at the synod, affirmed that Nigeria is being terrorized and stressed the need for concerted efforts to stem the time.

According to Gen. Osuji: “The most recent security challenge is the spate of bombings and armed attacks by some misguided elements in the society (Boko Haram).

“It is apparent that these contemporary security challenges have brought out some grey areas in our doctrine in counter-insurgency operations, which need to be immediately addressed in order to enhance the Nigerian Army’s operational efficiency.”

He urged the soldiers to endeavour to put to practice, the special skills they acquired in the discharge of their duties, adding: “I also charge you to exhibit high sense of professionalism, dedication and responsibility in the conduct of your assignments.”

Earlier, the Director of CTCOIN, Brig-Gen. Tijani Golau, said the course participants were trained in the identification of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), cordon and search techniques and search and arrest procedures for both male and female suspects.

“Others are unarmed combat, presentations on dynamics of terrorism and insurgency, as they relate to Boko Haram, information and intelligence gathering techniques, raids, ambushes, anti-ambush drills and fighting in built up areas.

“On the whole, the graduating participants are qualified and can be deployed to carry out counter-terrorist and insurgency tasks wherever they are deployed,” he explained.

Meanwhile, the United States (US) government is coming under increasing pressure to designate Boko Haram a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO), after Representative Patrick Meehan included an amendment to the 2012 defence budget requiring an audit of the group.

During his remarks to Congress introducing the amendment, Meehan added that the Department of Justice was also lobbying for the group’s inclusion on the FTO list.

“Six months ago, the Department of Justice reached out to the Department of State urging this determination,” Meehan stated on Thursday, adding his subcommittee on counter-terrorism and intelligence issued a report on the quick “evolution” of the violence of the sect from using machetes to Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).

According to Meehan: “This is the same kind of conduct that was conducted by other terrorist organisations, and only later did the Department identify them as FTOs,” in tacit reference to groups like al-Qaeda, once thought only as a local threat and therefore not designated under FTO status until much later.

According to a Heritage Foundation blog post, echoing Meehan’s statements: “The amendment by Congress is a welcome development.

“For too long, the State Department has overlooked Boko Haram as a potential threat to US interests.

“While Boko Haram does not currently pose a direct threat to the US homeland, other organisations, such as al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, were not immediately considered threats, either.”

-Guardianwp_posts