Boko Haram: Military begins ‘Operation No Mercy’

In the wake of heavy losses recorded in the hands of Boko Haram insurgents in recent times, the Nigerian Military has launched operation no mercy to decisively deal with the rampaging terrorists, THISDAY reports.

The military, according to the report, has decided to be decisive and unsparing in their approach at dealing with the Boko Haram menace to restore the country’s territorial integrity.

Quoting an intelligence source, the military will launch an all-out operation against the insurgents and other criminal elements, including those aiding and abetting them.

The source said when the former Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, applied an aggressive approach to combating insurgency it was hampered by constant intervention by Amnesty International, human rights activists and other political class.

“They have already started, meaning that the moment you are being suspected and later confirmed of being a terrorist or their sponsors you are gone,” the source said.

The source added that “you cannot harbour criminals, terrorists that harm the country and expect the military to spare you."

“All these political solutions and ceasefire could have worked if we are dealing with people who are sensible but government has now come to realise that our military need to do their job. These terrorists don’t understand the language of negotiation."

“They could have allowed Gen. Ihejirika and the military then to do what they had to do and we wouldn’t have been in this situation today."

“Now what we have is a situation whereby the military is afraid of what the international community will do, what human rights groups championed by Amnesty International will say and the reaction of our political class that has been in the habit of criticising and harassing the armed forces, so-called leaders who will wake up and start criticising the operations for no good reason. The moment we do away with sentiments we. will begin to see result.”