A civil society group, Global Peace and Life Rescue Initiative (GOPRI), has commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Farouq Yahaya, over success achieved by the Army in the counter-terrorism war.
The group said it was particularly elated that the Nigerian Army boss lived up to expectations of Nigerians within the few months of his appointment by President Muhammadu Buhari.
GOPRI, in a statement, Tuesday, however regretted that “in spite of the tremendous achievements being recorded by the Nigerian Military, saboteurs were busy instigating the public with the view of painting negative pictures about the Nigerian Military, especially the Army.”
To this end, the group, in the statement by its Executive Director, Amb. Melvin Ejeh, said it has concluded arrangements to support the Nigerian Army with initiative aimed at not only boosting its morale in the counterterrorism war but also change public perception about it.
The programme, tagged, “Troop Support Initiative”, according to Ejeh, would be launched any time soon.
To this end, the group, in the statement by its Executive Director, Amb. Melvin Ejeh, said it has concluded arrangements to support the Nigerian Army with initiative aimed at not only boosting its morale in the counterterrorism war but also change public perception about it.
The programme, tagged, “Troop Support Initiative”, according to Ejeh, would be launched any time soon.
The statement reads: “It has become worrisome to us that some international organisations and local news media agencies have deliberately targeted the Army in their blackmails aimed at setting the Nigerian public in particular and the outside world in general against the Nigerian Army despite their successes and sacrifices for the unity of the country.
“We are, therefore, calling on all Nigerians, home and in the diaspora,to come together irrespective of their political, religious and ethnic differences to support our Army and other security agencies in the fight against crimes and insurgents in the interest of national unity. This is most important given that we have not just one country but also one Army.
“The proposed initiative will deepen civil-military relationship and foster a positive and more balanced public perception of the Army.
“Some Nigerians have constituted themselves as the mouthpieces of the criminals,insurgents and bandits, hence the urgent need for this self-sponsored efforts through troop support programme to tell the untold story of our Army with a view to galvanizing well-meaning Nigerians to support our Army. We do not have another Army and country.
“These deliberate attempts by these adversaries and their agents to discredit the Nigerian military in the fight against insurgency, terrorism and criminality in the country should and must be resisted.
“We urge the Nigerian Army not to be deterred in its ongoing efforts to rid the country of terrorism and other forms of criminal acts in the country. It is high time the negative perceptions about the Nigerian Army and its troops was stopped in view of “the giant strides of the Nigerian Army in the direction of peace.”
GOPRI is a civil society group with vested interest in peace building in Nigeria.
