Ending Boko Haram insurgency requires unity of efforts, Buhari says as he blames terrorist activities on politics

President Muhammadu Buhari, on Monday, said that politics was the root cause of Boko Haram activities in the country, noting that the military alone cannot end the insurgency.

President Buhari said successful counter-insurgency operations requires what he called “unity of efforts across ministries, departments and agencies covering political, economic, law enforcement, intelligence and, of course, the military.”

The President, who spoke in Abuja while delivering a keynote address at the maiden Nigerian Air Force International Air Power Seminar, with the theme, “Air Power in Irregular Warfare: A Framework for Understanding and Responding”, however stated that his vision was to build a stable and prosperous Nigeria that would be the pride of future generations.

Noting that his dream could not be accomplished without peace, stability and security, the President enjoined Nigerians to embrace reforms that will entrench true democracy.

His words: “Successful counter-insurgency operations would, therefore, require unity of efforts across multiple ministries, departments and agencies covering political, economic, law enforcement, intelligence and of course the military, in what is popularly called ‘whole of the nation approach’.

“In this regard, we have mobilised relevant agencies and international organisations to support the counter-insurgency efforts to ensure success.”

Continuing, he said: “It is common knowledge that though we require substantial military input in combating an insurgency, its root cause is inherently political in nature.

“This seminar is quite timely, in the sense that since the outbreak of the Boko Haram crisis in the North-East, the Nigerian Air Force and, indeed, the armed forces of Nigeria have been engaged in conducting counter-insurgency operations that have challenged the services’ doctrine, tactics, training, order of battle and force protection architecture.

“Seminars like this are, thus, necessary for armed forces like the Nigerian Air Force to draw from the experiences of other armed forces that have either previously or are currently engaged in counter-insurgency operations.”

While emphasising inter-ministerial nature of counter-insurgency operations, President Buhari thanked airmen and airwomen of the Nigerian Air Force for the consistent and professional manner they had handled the operations.

“Let me, as Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces once again assure the military that I will continue to ensure appropriate funding for our armed forces to enhance capacity building and deepen professionalism,” the President added.

On his part, Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, commended the efforts of the Nigerian Air Force for what it was expending in support of the counter-insurgency operations, saying the development was instrumental in curtailing the insurgents and making life more meaningful for the victims.

Earlier in his welcome address, Chief of Air Staff, Air Mashal Sadique Abubakar, while noting that the Nigerian Air Force had for several years hosted the Air Expo among other events on the security situation in Nigeria, he said the rapidly changing dynamics in the international arena and the changing approach to warfare required careful understanding of the threats and response options available for the projection of air power in addressing national security imperatives.

Noting this necessitated the hosting of the event, Air Mashal Abubakar said: “We, therefore, deem it necessary to host this International Air Power Seminar to serve as a platform for exchange of ideas on the way forward.

“The changing character of warfare has imposed the need for a change in the way armed forces approach warfare. While the engagement in conventional or regular warfare remains a possibility, the global predominant threat to nations has become more irregular in nature.”