Theatre commander of the Joint Task Force “Operation Hadin Kai”, Maj. Gen Gold Chibuisi, has revealed that frustration, hunger and onslaught by troops are the reasons behind the massive surrendering of suspected Boko Haram/ ISWAP terrorists with their family members within the theatre of operations in Borno State and other parts of North East zone including Lake Chad.
This is even as he acknowledged the crucial role played by the media not just in disseminating and informing the people but also in educating and shaping the ideology of the populace.
He made the commendation yesterday during a media parley organised by the command with defence correspondents and various media representatives in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital held at the Command and Control Centre of “Operation Hadin Kai”.
Chibuisi welcomed all media representatives to the parley which he described as historic, looking at how significant and crucial the media is to the operational successes of Joint Task Force North East “Operation Hadin Kai”, adding that the desire by the command of operation Hadin Kai to play host to the media is geared towards building stronger synergy for peace to thrive in the region.
” We recognised the crucial role played by the media not just in disseminating and informing the people but also in educating and shaping the ideology of the populace and the society at large. Therefore, choosing to hold this parley at this crucial time is to showcase the jointness and collaboration among the military, other critical stakeholders and the press in regards to our operational activities.
“Permit me to state that the kinetic approach in any asymmetric war constitutes just about 20 percent. Your efforts in passing the right information, sensitising the civil populace in support of our operations as part of the peace effort constitutes the non-kinetic approach to the Counter insurgency operations.
“This parley is an integral part of the non-kinetic approach and this is more among other reasons why we need an improved synergy in order to achieve this together. Let me remind you that Nigeria remains the only country we have and you must therefore do everything within the law and ethics of your profession to build, nurture and sustain the peace at all cost.
“I implore you to take ownership of these operations through sincere reportage geared towards building and advocating for peace and not just to fulfil your editorial needs.
“I am aware that some of you have been reporting on the conflict since Its inception and have also shared from the pains and tragedies brought upon by the activities of the insurgents and insurgency generally. It is clear that many of the terrorists too are tired of fighting, they are hungry and wish to abandon the negative life they have lived in the bush all through these years without hope of having a better and fulfilled life.
“This is why thousands of these combatant and non-combatant members of Boko Haram and their factions are surrendering en- masse. This is the only one and sure way of ending their miseries else the military will not relent until the last member of the terrorists is flushed out,” the theatre commander said.
On behalf of the defence correspondents, the chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ) Borno Council, Comrade Dauda Iliya commended the theatre commander for the feat in the war against terrorism in the region and assured that NUJ shall continue to support the military to the logical conclusion.
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