THE Military has said it is determined to end the activities of the Boko Haram terrorists in spite of accusation by the Amnesty International (AI) to distract it.

The Acting Director, Defence Information, Brig.-Gen John Agim, said this in a statement on Tuesday in reaction to the AI’s allegation against security forces on  kidnap of 110 school girls in Yobe.

The organisation had accused the military and other security agencies of failing to act to avert the kidnap of the students after being informed of the plot.

“For avoidance of doubt, the Armed Forces of Nigeria are more than ever, poised to bring the activities of Boko Haram terrorists to a complete end and no amount of discouraging fabrications by the AI will deter the military from achieving its constitutionally assigned responsibilities.

“The Defence of our national territorial integrity is our utmost goal and as such the Armed Forces in conjunction with sister security agencies will continue to strive toward entrenching peace in the North-East and indeed every part of this great nation,’’ Agim said.

He said that apart from questioning the motive of AI, it was pertinent to state that most of their narratives were outright falsehood and a calculated attempt to whip up sentiments and mislead unsuspecting Nigerians.

Agim also said such narratives were meant to demoralise friendly nations and people collaborating with security forces to end terrorism in the North-East.

“For the avoidance of doubts, no security force was informed of Dapchi school girls abduction as alleged by AI.

“The Nigerian public and the International Community should know that the Armed Forces of Nigeria are a professional military and have attained the highest form of professionalism in line with International best practices.

“And so, could not have ignored warning of Boko Haram attack only to work tirelessly to get the girls back.’’

He said it was unfair for AI that did not care if the country survived as a united indivisible entity to come up every time to put doubts in the minds of the people about the military that had remained dedicated to keeping the country one.

“Amnesty International always brings out damming reports about the Nigerian Military at strategic points.

“They did that accurately in the previous administration and the US invoked the leahy law against Nigeria at the peak of the Boko Haram insurgency.

“Within this year, 2018, Amnesty International issued reports against the Military in January 2018, February 2018 and now March 2018.

“The question is; what is the motive of the AI?

“The answer is simple; President Trump of the United States of America has agreed to collaborate with the current government of Nigeria to end insurgency in the North-East and AI wants to do everything within its powers to make sure that the US-Nigeria Anti-Terrorism cooperation does not succeed in accordance with their paymasters design.’’

The acting DDI described the AI as an organ established to embark on orchestrated campaign of calumny against the Nigerian military and undermine its laudable achievements against Boko Haram.

“Unfounded and inaccurate reports such as this by AI is completely unacceptable, and only exist in the figment of AI imaginations and should be discountenanced by well meaning Nigerians and foreign friendly nations,’’ he said. (NAN)

– Mar. 20, 2018 @ 19:39 GMT |