From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
Following constant threats of insecurity in the country, especially in the north, former military administrator of Delta State, Air Commodore Luke Ochulor (retd) has expressed fears on the ability of the Federal Government to defeat Boko Haram, bandits and other terrorists organisations.
Speaking to Daily Sun in Owerri yesterday, Ochulor lamented that the Federal Government had allowed insurgents extend their operations beyond some northern states where they commenced their fight.
Ochulor said with terrorists successfully spreading their tentacles beyond the North East, the war would be difficult for the Federal Government to win.
“Unfortunately now it’s difficult for Nigeria to say this is the way we are going to defeat Boko Haram. You can see that they have extended their operations to Kaduna,Niger,Nasarawa, Borno and Taraba states, these places are no longer safe. They are everywhere and it’s difficult to deal with them now.”
Ochulor suggested that the Federal Government declare total war on the North East and North West.
“I am saying this because the people they are fighting are not rookies in the battlefield and moreover ISIS, ISWAP are involved and other elements from North Africa. The Federal Government is looking at them as if they were a rag-tag army, we have lost so many soldiers and civilians and yet we didn’t take appropriate action at the correct time. They need soldiers on water,land and air.”
Ochulor congratulated the Nigeria Airforce on the survival of their pilot after it was hit by bandits, saying the pilot survived to Advanced Procedure in Capital Operation.
“I congratulate the Airforce for having improved on training for pilots and other ground troops for survival. We left handouts when we were leaving,handouts designed by U.S Airforce on how to survive in battlefield , when you encounter shots or anti aircraft guns, you bail out. It is unfortunate that some did not manage their training well. I commend the young lieutenant how he applied his training; that training is standard, it is s usually undisclosed to the public. It is called Advanced Procedure in Capital Operations.”