Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has said the suicide bombing attacks in the Gwoza local government area of Borno State indicated an “ending cycle of terrorism” in Nigeria.
The bombings, which took place last Saturday, claimed over 20 lives and left over 50 others hospitalised.
The director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, addressing journalists during the Strategic Communications Inter-agency Policy Committee yesterday in Abuja, stated that the terrorists attacked vulnerable citizens to get attention and to reduce support for security agencies.
He said, “In associating what has happened with our operations, I will say that what has happened in Gwoza is what happens at the ending cycle of terrorism. At this phase, the terrorists are carrying out their acts to do what? One is to attract attention, then to bolster relevance, then to mobilise support, and finally, to reduce support for the armed forces and the Nigerian government at large. I will use this opportunity to tell citizens to stand united. ”
General Buba urged the citizens not to lose trust in the security agencies as a result of the attacks.
He said, “We must continue to place our trust in the security agencies across the country and continue to support the security forces in overcoming the security challenges that we are facing.”
He added that the country was in a state of war, noting that ugly incidents happen during war.
He said, “I will say that we should all know that we are in a state of war because, in a situation where you are involved in counter-terrorism, with our troops deployed all across the length and breadth of this country in various theatres, there is no other way to describe it than a state of war. When you‘re at war, ugly things happen, which is what has happened in Gwoza. ”
Reacting to the outcry about the Nigerian Army School of Islamic Affairs, Buba said the military has a chaplain school for Christian and Islamic religions.
He said being military personnel was not an avenue to be an atheist.
He said, „Why does the military have a School of Islamic Affairs? I will tell you that the military does not only have the School of Islamic Affairs; we also have the Chaplain School. Being military men does not make us not to be spiritually inclined. They say that life is spiritual.
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