The Federal Government has urged Nigerians not to lose hope in the ability and determination of the Nigerian military to defeat terrorists in the country.
The Minister of Information and Culture made the call on Tuesday at a press conference.
He spoke against the backdrop of the killing of 43 farmers in Borno State by terrorists.
According to him, the killing was not a reflection of the claim that the military is not making progress in the war against insurgency, but an act of cowardice and savagery by a group of deranged terrorists.
The minister explained that having been severely dealt with by the military, the terrorists group resorted to attacking soft targets.
He described the attacks on soft targets as an act of weakness and desperation by the terrorists.
His words: “On the killing of farmers in Borno, I want to say it is an act of cowardice and savagery by a group of deranged terrorists, and it does not reflect the progress being made by the military against Boko Haram. Going after soft targets is an act of weakness and desperation by the terrorists, who have suffered huge setbacks in the hands of the military in recent times.
“The modus operandi of a losing terror group is to go after soft targets in order to stay relevant. It’s not only Boko Haram that does that. In 2019, Al-Shabab attacked DusitD2 Complex in Nairobi, Kenya, killing more than 20. Similarly, the Peshawar school massacre of 16 December 2014 in Pakistan, carried out by six gunmen affiliated with the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, left about 150 people dead, most of them students.
“The truth is that Boko Haram is badly degraded and can only carry out cowardly attacks like the one against defenceless farmers over the weekend.”
The minister called upon Nigerians not to lose hope in the ability and commitment of the military to defeat terrorists.
“We urge Nigerians not to lose hope in the capability and commitment of the military to rout the terrorists. Rather, we should continue to support the men and women in uniform, who are fighting the terrorists with grit and determination,” he said.
