Boko Haram Insurgents – Retired Generals, Northern Elders Forum, Others Warn Against Hiring Mercenaries
Some retired generals and socio-political organisation on Wednesday faulted the call for hiring of mercenaries to fight the Boko Haram insurgents in the North East. An ex Chief of Defence Staff, a former General Officer Commanding, 1 Division, and Corps Commander, Amotekun Corps in Osun State, said Nigerians were capable of defending themselves. They cautioned against the return of mercenaries. Also, Socio political groups, including the Northern Elders’Forum, the pan Yoruba group, Afenifere, and the Coalition of Northern Groups, faulted the call for the hiring of mercenaries. Following the killing of 43 rice farmers at Kwashebe village in Bornu State on Saturday, the state Governor Babagana Zulum, appealed to the Federal Government to hire mercenaries to fight the insurgents. Zulum has received the support of his counterparts, the North East governors and the Senate. Before the President Muhammadu Buhari assumption of office, the Federal Government hired mercenaries to fight insurgents. The Buhari regime, dispensed with the services of the mercenaries on assumption of office In 2015.