Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General TY Buratai has spoken openly on the role of Non Governmental Organizations in the on-going battle against Boko Haram insurgency with a clear assertion that “nobody loves Nigeria more than we do”.
The Chief of Army Staff stated this during an interactive session with journalists in Maiduguri on Saturday. He specifically slammed the role of NGOs such as Amnesty international,describing their posture as preposterous.
He said it was “preposterous for Non-Governmental Organizations such as Amnesty International to consistently be undermining our reputation and demoralizing our troops through consistent and unfounded allegations of human rights abuses.
Buratai added: “There is no doubt the organization cannot do what it is doing in Nigeria in many other sovereign countries. There are several instances of unprofessional and negative conducts of Amnesty International members of staff in Nigeria such as collaboration with Islamic Movement in Nigeria.
The Army chief assured that “under my leadership, the Nigerian Army would continue to be professional and apolitical.
“Therefore, the Nigerian Army I command will not allow itself to be dragged into politics of any kind.”
While acknowledging that that media practitioners face challenges such as funding and competition, he reminded them of the need to “have a country” where they can practice. He said: “We are quite aware that the media also has its challenges of funding and competition, it is however crucial to note that at the end of the day, it is only when we have a country that we can even practice our professions. The role played by some section of the media in Rwanda is still fresh in our minds. Therefore, you have a very important role to play in ensuring the sustenance of peace and security in Nigeria and towards ensuring the survival of Nigeria as a country.
The Chief of Army Staff disclosed earlier in his address that, “The essence of this event is also about opening a new, bigger page with you, the media in Nigeria.” He urged the media to trust the Nigerian Army. “While we fight with guns to protect the society, you fight with your pens to do the same. Consequently, fighting without one another can be compared to fighting with one hand tied behind your back. That is why this interactive session is organized to fashion out ways of coming together to fight against the security challenges facing our dear country. We also invited you here with the best of intention, to commend you for the wonderful role you have been playing in nurturing our nascent democracy and also solicit your support in our efforts to rid our society of daunting security challenges. We also noted that most of the security problems we are confronted with in this country are associated with misinformation. Therefore, we have a great task of educating and enlightening the members of the public on the true situations, as the more enlightened a society is, the more it understands its roles and contributes positively towards an enhanced national security and development.
“We are therefore appealing to you to be more understanding in the discharge of your professional duties. Your support is highly required because of the immense role you play in shaping national focus and thus, national security. We want you to trust us more as we continue to defend the territorial integrity of our country. It does not augur well for national security and troops’ morale when the military is portrayed as weak and corrupt, not trusted or respected as was the case with the recent unfortunate attacks on our locations and the lopsided reports on them.
“The war against terrorism and insurgency need to be viewed and reported as it is; war between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and terrorists and criminals, not Nigerian Army versus the Boko Haram terrorists. We are carrying out these operations on behalf of the Nigerian State and the people. Therefore, we should enlighten the people to enable them understand, support our efforts and appreciate our sacrifices,” Buratai said.
