Boko Haram: Buratai never sought spiritual backing – civil rights lawyer

A civil rights lawyer, Emmanuel Osuagwu Ugochukwu, has dismissed reports by some section of the media which claimed Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lt Gen Tukur Buratai called for prayers to end insurgency.

An online report had painted a scenario, falsely quoting the COAS as saying “terrorism and terrorist groups could not be eliminated alone by the military unless religious bodies and organisations in the country come to the forefront of the spiritual battle”.

This trailed a spiritual warfare seminar at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre on Monday, with the theme, ‘Countering insurgency and violent extremism in Nigeria through spiritual warfare.’

However, in a press statement titled “critics of Army Chief goofed over suggestion to fight insurgency spiritually”, Mr Ugochukwu rubbished such report with the sole intent of propagating “mischief”.

According to the legal practitioner, the COAS never in anyway suggested using spiritualism to fight insurgency rather called on religious leaders to support the Nigerian Army in eradicating ideologies fuelling insurgency in the country.

Mr Ugochukwu, therefore, urged Nigerians to ignore such misleading reports, especially at a time the Nigerian troops are coasting to victory.