Groups seeks US, UK, Israel help in fight against insurgency

A coalition of civil rights groups in Nigeria has called on the governments of the United States of America (USA), the United Kingdom (UK) and Israel for assistance in the fight against terrorism in Nigeria.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, the coalition president Etuk Bassey Williams said there is a need to compensate efforts made by Nigeria’s service chiefs to salvage the challenge in the country’s security.

“We observed that the dexterity with which the Military is curbing insecurity in the Northeast and other parts of the country has yielded laudable achievements: Today, incidences of bombs detonating at our Worship Centres, Market, Motor parks, Government buildings and other strategic places have disappeared and is no more a recurring event except for very few insignificant cases,” Williams said.

“We recall with pain the: Abuja Police Headquarters bombing which was believed to be the first suicide bombing in Nigeria’s history. The attack occurred on 16 June 2011, at the premises of the Louis Edet House in Abuja, and it left at least six people dead by the Boko Haram.”

He, however, said there is more needed to be done in security as they “have formally requested for the assistance of the United States, the United Kingdom and Israel to assist Nigeria with technology in completely annihilate the insurgency in the country.”

“The unanimous position of over Five Hundred representatives of various Civil Societies at a meeting to appraise the situation surrounding the call for relieve of the service chiefs in the ongoing fight against the Insurgents, particularly in the Northeast,” Williams said.

Williams opposed the call for the replacement of the service chiefs and restructuring of the military architecture for performance, saying they have made significant progress.

The secretary of the coalition Abubakar Ibrahim said Nigerians were overwhelmed by ugly incidences in the past which have ceased to reoccur.