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Soldiers cannot defeat Boko Haram alone – EU tells Buhari

Soldiers cannot defeat Boko Haram alone – EU tells Buhari


President Muhammadu Buhari

By Nwafor Sunday

Janez Lenarcic, the European Union (EU) Commissioner for Crisis Management, Friday advised President Muhammadu Buhari to apply international law and international humanitarian law in dealing with Boko Haram.

He said ‘military effort alone would probably not be sufficient’ in tackling Boko Haram in the country.

“We would like to support your efforts. We believe all relevant actors; military, civilian as well as humanitarian should come together. The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs is suggesting such high level dialogue.

“In situations such as what we have in the northeast, international law and international humanitarian law should apply. We believe in your efforts to end the conflict; military effort alone probably will not be sufficient without identifying and addressing the socio-economic factors causing it, “he stated.

Disclosing this in a statement signed by Femi Adesina, Buhari’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, EU Commissioner emphasized that Nigeria plays a big role in the African continent and globally in economic, social and other spheres and asked for the development of a plan between the EU and Nigeria concerning the issues in the Northeast. He said he had visited Borno State and appreciates government’s efforts to end the conflict there.

Recall that Buhar had insisted that his administration has defeated Boko haram technically.  In February 6th, 2016, Buhari was asked whether it was fair to say a group which killed over 65 persons in a single attack had been “technically defeated,” the President responded, “Well, that’s your own description of it. My own description is that they can no longer mobilise enough forces to attack police and army barracks and destroy aircraft like they used to do. They can no longer do that.

“All I know is that out of the 14 Local Government Areas in Borno State where they (Boko Haram) used to hold and hoist their flag, they are nowhere in charge of any of them again. But they can still regroup and go after attacking soft targets,” he said.

However, on Friday, January 24, 2020, Buhari wondered why people think his administration cannot defeat Boko Haram.

He told Janez Lenarcic that if Nigeria after 30-month civil war was able to unite and reorganized itself, Boko Haram will soon be dealt with.

Boko Haram is responsible for the killings of over 17,000 Nigerians, particularly in the North-East.

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