Chief of Defense Staff Clarifies Boko Haram Deadline

Nigeria’s Chief of Defense has changed what many viewed as a controversial claim in resolving the long running battle in fighting the Boko Haram insurgents in recent days.  The remarks made by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Marshal AS Badeh, on the need ‘to end terrorism by April this year,’ has expectedly generated a lot of comments, interpretation, and reaction especially from the media.

The initial remarks by Alex Sabundu Bedeh were made on January 20th of this year, as the Major General took part in a ceremony where he was formally appointed Nigeria’s Chief of Defence of the military. Bedeh had said at the time, "The security situation in the northeast must be brought to a complete stop before April 2014.”

Since that statement there has been an escalation of violent attacks in Adamawa, in Nigeria’s North East region by the rebel group, Boko Haram. Adamawa is also the home state of Bedeh. Nigeria’s military spokesmen are saying that the remarks have been ‘taken too literally’ by members of the public and media.

In a press release issued on Tuesday, Nigeria’s military said that, “The (January 20th) remarks by the CDS was meant to motivate commanders, and troops, to work harder towards restoration of normalcy as envisaged in the states under Emergency rule.  Unfortunately, the charge has been taken too literally to mean definite promise to end terrorism by April.”

52 people died in an attack at a busy street market in Borno, a neighboring region, the day the initial remarks were made. More recently, a Muslim cleric who had criticized and spoken out against Boko Haram, was found shot dead over the weekend.

The military’s press release of clarification goes on to say that “more resources and “troops are being deployed to beef up the operations,” in the north east of Nigeria where much of the conflict is centered.  

Nigeria’s comment on the April deadline press release also said: Security challenges calls for unity of purpose and not buck passing.  Indeed, no material or moral support to the efforts of the security forces is too much in demonstrating a collective resolve to end the menace of terrorism in Nigeria.”

Chris Olukolade, Nigeria’s Director of Defense Information, told Sahara TV in a live television interview recently that calls remain for additional military funding in the fight against the insurgency. While there have been several reports of Boko Haram planned attacks in Nigeria’s southern tier, Olukolade was vague about the possible spread of influence by the rebel group there.

As the remarks by AS Bedeh has caused the Nigerian military to back track, their press release ended on a somewhat positive note, this time without deadlines. It read: “The DHQ wishes to assure Nigerians and indeed the international community that the Nigerian Armed Forces is committed to restoring normalcy in all parts of the federation.”