The military has faulted claims that 17 local government areas in Borno State are unsafe.
“It is not a fair statement, it is not objective at all,” the Director of Army Public Relations, Col. Sagir Musa, said when contacted.
He added: “Although people are entitled to their opinion, there is no local government area in Borno State that is under the effective control of the insurgents.
“Nobody is saying that we don’t have remnants of Boko Haram insurgents but to say that they are in control of any local government is false, uncharitable and unfair to the patriotic troops in the warfront.
“The military is doing its best to win the war. It cannot be distracted by some people who have other agenda than ending the Boko Haram insurgency.
“Without waiting for some equipment from abroad, the Nigerian Army Engineer Corps, Theatre Command of Operation Lafiya Dole (OPLD), has started local production of Mines Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP)
“We know it is the government some of these people are trying to blackmail, but it is convenient for them to attack the military.
“They know the military is about to win the war. Some of these people now face the reality of accounting for what they did with Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).”
He said the counter-insurgency war in Borno State has raised some issues which Nigerians should pay attention to.
Musa said: “The question Nigerians should ask is: Why is the security situation in Yobe, Bauchi, Adamawa and Gombe different from Borno State?
“These states are different from Borno because the basic conditions or facilities to assist in winning the war are absent.
“There is no semblance of governance or civil authority in Borno State. No cross-country roads, no inter-state roads, no intra-local government roads. Some terrains are not easily accessible by troops because there are no road networks.
“Even some roads constructed by DFFRI many years ago have become dilapidated and not repaired. It is only federal roads that are better.
“How many local government roads do they have? There is no road linking the state capital to some of these local governments and war fronts.
From Binisheik, you cannot go to Gubio without making a 360 degree movement.
“If you are going to Kala/ Balge, you may miss your way and enter into Cameroon or Boko Haram enclave. With the situation now, you cannot go to Abadam and Malam Fatori.
“Nigerians need to understand the conditions under which troops are operating in Borno State.
Responding to a question on why only four local government areas are being occupied by troops, Musa said: “Is it the Service Chiefs that will go and bring people to occupy the areas?
“In some of these areas, there are no amenities, no market, no health facilities, no schools and no motor-parks which can encourage these people to return to their towns and villages.
“We cannot manufacture people.
Source :The Nation