War on terror: 300 CSOs endorse Buhari for second term, give reasons

The reelection of President Muhammadu Buhari got a boost on Thursday as over 300 leading civil society organizations declared their support for his second term in office.

The groups hinged their reason on the sterling performance of the president in area of security.

According to the groups, Buhari has been outstanding on his war against terror and insurgency since he assumed power in 2015 and should be given another mandate to complete what he started.

A communiqué jointly issued after a convention of Coalition of 300 Civil Society Organizations (CCSOs) called on Nigerians to back the president in 2019.

Some of the leading organizations in the group are the Initiative for Minority Rights in Nigeria, Centre for Social Justice, Equity and Transparency, Foundation for Unemployed Nigerians, Africa Civil Rights Congress and several others.

Their communiqué partly reads:

“The CCSOs commended the Centre for International and Strategy Studies (CISS) for their diligence, accuracy and time devoted to this energy-sapping report, spanning the period of 2013-2018. Certainly, the CCSOs adjudged it as a priced document worthy of attention by all Nigerians and indeed, members of the international community in search of an unbiased and truthful accounts and perspectives into insurgency in Nigeria operations and battles in the country.

“We have no doubt about the issues articulated in the report as reflective of Nigeria’s several years of struggle with the Boko Haram terrorism, reflecting its evolution, its rise, government responses to the insurgency under the regimes of former President Goodluck Jonathan and the incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari, foreign interventions/ aids and local involvement in the fight as well as the performance of the Nigerian Military in exacerbating or blighting the fires of the terrorism scourge on Nigeria.

“The CCSOs endorsed without hesitations the general conclusions of the report, which aligns with the consensus opinions among majority of Nigerians, including the incipient opposition elements in the country, traditionally obstinate in conceding to the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari the successes of the counter-insurgency battles.

“It yawningly reechoes that the President has frenetically tackled the insurgency with so much vigor, energy and resources. It stamps that the President has made the difference in counter-terrorism combat and deserving of loud accolades and commendations.

“For the benefit of Nigerians yet to read the report on combat of terrorism in Nigeria under the preceding and incumbent governments in Nigeria, as compiled by the Centre for International and Strategy Studies, the CCSOs have burdened themselves to highlight a few areas for emphasis.

“Securing freedom for a greater number of the abducted Chibok and Dapchi schoolgirls and tens of thousands of other Nigerians held hostage by terrorists and the capture of Sambisa forest in Borno have been reflected in the report.

“It applauded the Gen. Buratai’s excellent Civil/Military Relations which he deployed positively in currying support of the populace to battle the asymmetric terrorism war. And Army Chief’s establishment of the Nigerian Army Call center and Human Rights Desk in all Army Divisions in addressing issues of human rights abuses by its personnel have been brought to the fore.

“Therefore, the CCSOs are ennobled by this report to state empathically that Nigerians should not allow a reversal of the gains recorded against Boko Haram terrorism under the current administration by siding with selfish political jobbers and power mongers to oust President Buhari in 2019. If Nigerians allow this conspiracy and gang-up to work in favour of the plotters, terrorism will again assail the nation more fiercely than experienced prior to the Buhari Presidency.”