Will President Buhari Stand By Our Heroes?

by Eze Eluchie

I have just read the skewed, unfortunate and unprofessional Amnesty International report (released today, 3rd June 2015) on Nigeria’s effort at tackling BH.

Blame should not go solely to the characters who crafted such insensitively biased reports but perhaps we have to inquire into the local collaborators who, for lucre and some grants, would even sell their mothers.

I wonder why similar calls for probe of Chief’s of Army Staff’s, Senior Generals and commanding officers has not emanated from Amnesty International for the role played by the various armies which battled Al Qeida in Iraq and Afghanistan and those confronting ISIS across the Middle East.

Our soldiers continue to sacrifice daily to defend the rest of the contraption – efforts to portray them in bad light, deflate their morale or shake their resolve should be condemned by all well meaning Nigerians and persons everywhere interested in eradicating terrorism.

Considering that:

a.      As Presidential Candidate of the opposition, current President and Commander in Chief of Nigeria's Armed Forces, Muhammadu Buhari, had stated that the efforts by the Nigerian military against Boko Haram terrorists in the North was an attack against the North and Northerners; and

b.      The haste with which President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed 'concern for the enormity of evidence' contained in the just released scathing Report by Amnesty International against the Nigeria Armed Forces and some of its principal officers, regarding Nigeria's war against terror;

Can the President, Muhammadu Buhari be trusted to be fair in his reactions to the AI reports and his dealings with our heroic military forces? Can Mr. President 'cover the back of our boys'?

If no, what if anything, can our military do to ameliorate the situation.

Will he seek to sacrifice our heroes to appease external interests?

Our military, like all soldiers the world over (including the military of the US, UK and those of EU member states), engaged in tackling unconventional forces/terrorists, are faced with serious challenges in containing terrorists whilst adhering to the international rules of engagement. Collateral damages may occur, but such should not dilute the overall objective of rooting out terror.

Nigeria's push against terror must be unwavering and must succeed - alternatives to this are unworthy of consideration.

Picture: President Buhari in his first meeting with Service Chiefs of the Nigeria Military and Security agencies.