Nigerian military now fighting al-Qaeda

nigerian military

The Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, has said that the Nigerian military was fighting not just the Boko Haram insurgents, but al-Qaeda networks in West and Central Africa.

Badeh said however that the military was prepared to face the threat of the terror networks attacking the country.

According to the Defence Chief, the military had got evidence of people fighting the country from outside stressing that the fight was not just against the members of the Boko Haram sect.

He said while the Boko Haram crisis started in Maiduguri, it had developed into a difficult situation with links with al-Qaeda in West Africa and Central Africa.

Badeh also gave the assurance that with the collaborative efforts from the foreign partners, the military would ensure the safe release of the abducted girls of Government Secondary School, Chibok.

He said all efforts would be geared towards the release of the Chibok girls as the young were crucial to the sustenance of the existence of the country.

Badeh spoke while playing the host to the members of Social Welfare Network Initiative, who paid him a courtesy visit at the Defence Headquarters, Abuja, on Wednesday.

He said, “We have evidence of people outside Nigeria fighting with Nigeria so it is no longer Boko Haram, it is Al- Qaeda we are fighting but we will confront them.

“You are aware that we have international partners working with us to release our girls and our girls should be released.

“If we eliminate all our young women who will replenish Nigeria? If we eliminate all our young who will power the engine of state so we must do something.”

The CDS said the Nigerian military would not be distracted from its statutory responsibility of defending the constitution and the territorial integrity of the country.

He said the Armed Forces would be focused and perform its duties effectively to ensure the security of Nigerians, in spite of incessant criticisms in some quarters.

He said if the military was encouraged, it would perform well, but unnecessary attacks on its image could only demoralize its personnel.

He said, “We have people here; all they do is to criticise the military. If you disparage the military and demoralise them, what next will you do?

“Are you going to give guns to civilians, when you know that to be a military takes some processes? If you continue to criticise, disparage and demoralize the military what do you think will happen?”