The Federal Government will not seek foreign military assistance in the fight against terrorism, Information Minister, Mr. Labaran Maku, has said.
The minister, however, said the government would continue to seek the cooperation and collaboration with foreign powers in the areas of training and information sharing.
Maku, who is also the supervising Minister of Defence, stated this on Tuesday at a briefing in Abuja to mark the 2014 edition of the Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebrations.
He spoke against the backdrop of Tuesday’s attacks on military bases in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital by the Boko Haram sect.
Military aircraft were destroyed and several people killed in the attacks. Describing the Boko Haram as a local wing of international terrorist organisation, Maku assured that the nation’s armed forces are adequately equipped to counter the insurgents.
He, however, admitted that the nation had never experienced security challenge of this magnitude since the Nigerian civil war, even as he disagreed with foreign analysts on the classification of Boko Haram insurgency as a civil war situation.
Maku said: “We are facing a very stubborn enemy that is really committed to destabilizing the peace of the country.
But I can say with pride that the incident was not only repelled but that those who participated in the operation faced the fire from our armed forces.
“The point must be made that Nigeria is facing an international enemy that has a long line of supply and that we are not taking it lightly. Insurgency of this type is not easy to overcome.
“But I must say confidently that our armed forces are doing everything possible not only to ensure we deal decisively with this incident; but indeed to be sure that the larger war, which is to secure the northeast of Nigeria and to secure our boundaries, is on.
“I can assure Nigerians that occasionally, you may have things like this because we are in a state of war and we are dealing with an enemy that does not wear uniform. We are dealing with an enemy that will occasionally strike by surprise.
“It is a guerrilla warfare and in this type of urban guerrilla warfare, we will have occasional incidents. But what is most important to us is that we are combing this entire region.”
The minister, however, said the government would continue to seek the cooperation and collaboration with foreign powers in the areas of training and information sharing.Maku, who is also the supervising Minister of Defence, stated this on Tuesday at a briefing in Abuja to mark the 2014 edition of the Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebrations.
He spoke against the backdrop of Tuesday’s attacks on military bases in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital by the Boko Haram sect.
Military aircraft were destroyed and several people killed in the attacks. Describing the Boko Haram as a local wing of international terrorist organisation, Maku assured that the nation’s armed forces are adequately equipped to counter the insurgents.
He, however, admitted that the nation had never experienced security challenge of this magnitude since the Nigerian civil war, even as he disagreed with foreign analysts on the classification of Boko Haram insurgency as a civil war situation.
Maku said: “We are facing a very stubborn enemy that is really committed to destabilizing the peace of the country.
But I can say with pride that the incident was not only repelled but that those who participated in the operation faced the fire from our armed forces.
“The point must be made that Nigeria is facing an international enemy that has a long line of supply and that we are not taking it lightly. Insurgency of this type is not easy to overcome.
“But I must say confidently that our armed forces are doing everything possible not only to ensure we deal decisively with this incident; but indeed to be sure that the larger war, which is to secure the northeast of Nigeria and to secure our boundaries, is on.
“I can assure Nigerians that occasionally, you may have things like this because we are in a state of war and we are dealing with an enemy that does not wear uniform. We are dealing with an enemy that will occasionally strike by surprise.
“It is a guerrilla warfare and in this type of urban guerrilla warfare, we will have occasional incidents. But what is most important to us is that we are combing this entire region.”
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