Former military governor of Kaduna State, Col. Abubakar Dangiwa Umar (rtd) has dismissed the much-touted defeat of Boko Haram by as a ruse.
In a publicly circulated piece entitled: “Nigeria: A nation challenged”, Umar, a respected social critic, said: “Government’s earlier claim of having technically defeated Boko Haram has turned out to be empty propaganda. Contrary to this claim, the enemy has morphed into a more determined and deadly force threatening to overrun the whole of the NorthEast.”
He reeled out statistics of the devastation wreaked by Boko Haram and bandits.
“Activities of those criminals have resulted in the evacuation of over 20% of villages in NW and NE. Hundreds are being murdered and maimed every week. Many more are kidnapped for ransom. Millions have been rendered internally displaced facing disease and starvation.”
He knocked the Federal Government for their triumphalism over the arrest of IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, saying he proved no worse threat than banditry ravaging the country.
“The FGN must go beyond the arrest of Kanu and pay greater attention to the more serious security challenges threatening to cripple the country completely.” he said.
