Security and Defence Forces not Clueless or Helpless – Presidency
The presidency has said security forces can take on the many security issues the nation is currently facing.
The Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, stated this on Sunday while reacting to the recent video of terrorists flogging the victims of the March 28 attack on a Kaduna-bound train.
“It suffices to say that the security forces are not relenting. They are acutely aware of their duties, responsibilities, and what the nation expects of them. Whenever they embark upon those actions, they expect that the public should provide them with the needed support,” Shehu said in a statement.
The militants threatened to kill and sell some of the captives in a recently leaked video, which prompted increased appeals for the Federal Government to intervene to save them.
In addition, they threatened to kidnap the governor of Kaduna State and President Muhammadu Buhari.
Shehu, however, claimed that militants compel governments to give in to their demands through violence and propaganda.
He said that the country’s security forces were not powerless and declared that they would not reveal their strategies to the media.
President Muhammadu Buhari, according to Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Shehu, has been assisting security organisations by raising their morale and providing the necessary tools.
He added, “The Presidency, in the meantime, wishes to reassure the public that the President has done all, and even more than what is expected of him as Commander-in-Chief by way of morale, material and equipment support to the military and expects nothing short of good results in the immediate.”
Read the complete statement below:
LATEST VERSION OF TERROR PROPAGANDA AND MILITARY READINESS
Terrorist activity using propaganda and violence to force governments to accept or submit to political demands is not new worldwide.
The country’s security and defence forces are not clueless or helpless. They have plans and ways of doing things that they will not display in the media.
The dilemmas in dealing with the specific case of train terrorists are manifold: punitive action like the popular call for carpet bombing of the known locations may assuage the desire of an angry public for revenge, but what about the hostages? They have committed no offence. All they did was board a train.
It suffices to say that the security forces are not relenting. They are acutely aware of their duties, responsibilities and what the nation expects of them. Whenever they embark upon those actions, they expect that the public should provide them with the needed support.
Terrorism is a global scourge that must be fought by all actors- the military, the civilian population and the communication service providers. This is the only way safe havens for terrorists are eliminated in every part of the world.
To help the nation against the ongoing situation, the media must increase their support for the fight against the exploitation of the internet and social media for terrorist purposes.
The Presidency, in the meantime, wishes to reassure the public that the President has done all and even more than what is expected of him as Commander-in-Chief by way of morale, material, and equipment support to the military and expects nothing short of good results in the immediate.
Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President
(Media & Publicity)
July 24, 2022
