Speaking with The Nation about the allegations, the DHQ director of defence information, Colonel Rabe Abubakar, insisted that the Nigerian military had the ability to eliminate terrorism. He characterized the reports as a deliberate attempt to set Nigerians against the government and the military.
“The issue about mercenaries lacks substance; I want you to note that for the past months, the military has been fighting this war more and more effectively and all Nigerians, irrespective of where they live, have come to understand that we are making tremendous progress.
“So, why should some people bring up this idea of bringing in mercenaries? Which mercenaries, from where and to do what?
“You see, all this is part of the usual antics of blackmail by the enemies of Nigeria – those who do not want the progress that the Nigerian military are making and those who are not happy with the successes we are recording.
“They are trying to derail by inciting Nigerians against the Nigerian armed forces. There is no nation in the world where such thing (hiring mercenaries while winning a battle) happens.
“We are doing our best and achieving effective results; we don’t need to say it because Nigerians see it and appreciate what we are doing. We will continue to use our soldiers, our officers and all our domestic resources.
“The Nigerian armed forces is doing its best to ensure that we surmount the Boko Haram issue and other allied criminalities; so, such disinformation or blackmail will not deter us from doing what we are supposed to be doing. It is not just a lie; it is completely unfounded and baseless.
“We will continue to do our part and our armed forces are capable of dislodging Boko Haram. We have done it elsewhere and we will do it in our country.”
Shortly after his inauguration, Muhammadu Buhari ordered the Nigerian service chiefs to eliminate the insurgency by the end of the year.
The military continue the offensive in the northeast claiming that the army is winning the anti-Boko Haram war.
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