Military cannot end Boko Haram activities in the North – ACF

Northern socio-cultural group, the Arewa Consultative Forum, has said that the military campaign in the North-East cannot end the Boko Haram campaign.

The group said the military campaign can only reclaim territories occupied by the Boko Haram Sect.

The National Publicity Secretary, ACF, Anthony Sani, noted that the effort of the military had helped region greatly, as they had reduced the spread of terrorist attacks.

He said the military campaigns had, restricted activities of the sect to three states (Borno, Yobe and Adamawa), as attacks in areas outside the three states were no longer frequent.

Sani in statement said, “I do not think the military campaigns were designed to put an end to the activities of Boko Haram the way Nigerians expect because it is not that easy.

“The military campaigns were intended to reclaim the territories taken over by Boko Haram in the hope of making the Nigerian authorities to negotiate from a position of strength. And that is why the option of dialogue has not been closed.”

Sani further said, “ACF accepted the military option that came with the state of emergency, with the provision that rules of engagement would be adhered to strictly during the military campaigns. ACF has not changed its position on that.”

Similarly, former Head of State, Muhammad Buhari had on Wednesday scored the Nigerian Army low in the fight against the Boko Haram, in the North-East, saying there had been series of complaints that soldiers collect bribes at check-points and rape women during operations.

He said, “Now, there are accusations that they collect bribes at checkpoints, that they rape women during operations as was the case in Borno. That was not known before. Now, if you kill one of their own, they round up and wipe out the community like what happened at Baga.”