Senate President, David Mark has made it clear that Boko Haram has by the spate of attacks it has been launching, declared full war with Nigeria and that it requires full military action in the most endemic states of Adamawa, Yobe and Borno.
Senator Mark who made a full review of the activities of the Boko Haram insurgency in the country in the last few weeks submitted that the situation is no longer a mere conflict or terrorism, but a war on Nigerians.
Addressed his colleagues today on resumption from the Easter recess, the Senate President lamented the recent bombing at the Nyanya Motor Park in Abuja and the abduction of about 234 school girls in Chibok, Borno State, two weeks ago.
“It is obvious that we are dealing with insurgents and well funded nihilists who are determined to violently trample upon the secularity of the Nigerian State and destroy the country.
“A modern, vibrant, progressive, multi-ethnic, multi-religious Nigeria is an anathema to them. Because they are fired by zealotry and extremism, they are not likely to be swayed by overtures of any kind. We must henceforth shift from fighting terrorism to fighting insurgency.
“Our emphasis must therefore be on winning the hearts and minds of the communities in the immediate theatres of conflict.
“The full might and strength of our security services must now be deployed to confront this scourge and we expect our security services to rapidly reorient their assets and capabilities so as to overcome this difficult challenge.
“This must be done within the shortest possible time frame with minimal casualties. Let me emphasise that for them to achieve this they require the cooperation of all and sundry.”
He said the government must do all it can to immediately identify the sponsors and the source of funds to the terrorists and the insurgents.
“In this connection, nobody who is implicated, no matter how highly placed, should be treated as a sacred cow.”
He pledged that as federal legislators, we will continue to co-operate and work with all arms of government and the people to bring this unwarranted assault on our peace and unity to a swift end.
