17th July, 2014
Former Nigeria Chief of Staff, General Theophilius Danjuma (rtd) on Wednesday 16 July told President Goodluck Jonathan to lead the Victims’ Support Fund Committee to Sambisa Forest as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.
The President when inaugurating the committee said they must be prepared to visit Sambisa Forest, the stronghold of Islamist sect Boko Haram in Northeast Nigeria. But in a sharp response to the demand of the president, General Danjuma who is the chairman of the committee said no such visit will take place unless they are led by the president.
“Mr. President, we won’t go to Sambisa Forest. As the Commander-in-Chief, you should take the lead and we will follow,” Danjuma said jocularly to the amusement of those present at the inauguration.
Adding that: “but seriously, this war must be brought to an end. We must win this war immediately. It is taking too long. I called it civil war when it began; people say it is insurgency. The insurgents appear to be having an upper hand at this very moment. They pick and choose where to strike. They are even holding positions and displacing us. We must win this war Mr. President; we must do so immediately,” Danjuma said.
The President had earlier said in his inauguration speech that he owes Nigerians victory against the Boko Haram while lamenting that attacks by the insurgent group had claimed lives of many Nigerians and destruction of valuable property President Jonathan said the days of the insurgents are numbered as their sponsors would also be exposed very soon.
He also asked Nigerians to continue to support the security agencies to ensure that they win the war against Boko Haram. President Jonathan also called on all Nigerians to spare a thought for the victims of the Boko Haram insurgency and donate generously to the Fund. A minute silence was later observed in honour of all the victims of the terrorist attacks in the country.
The Committee, as announced by Senator Anyim Pius Anyim last Monday “is to mobilise resources and administer appropriate support to victims of insurgency and Boko Haram terror activities all over the country.”
Former banker and vice-presidential candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, Mr. Fola Adeola, will serve as the vice chairman of the committee which also has Mrs. Folorunsho Alakija, Mr. Cosmas Maduka and Mr. Jim Ovia as members.
Other members are: Alh. Mohammed Indimi, Alh. Abdulsamad I. Rabiu, Alh. Sani Dauda, Mr. Wale Tinubu, Alh. Sani Sidi, DG, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and Air Vice Marshal Tony Omenyi (representing defence headquarters). Others are CP Salisu Fagge, representing Nigerian Police Force, Mr. Sayana Yusuf, representing Department of State Services, Chief Uche Secondus, PDP Deputy National Chairman (South), Alh. Tijani Tunsah, APC Deputy National Chairman (North), representative of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), representative of Jamaatul Nasril Islam (JNI) and Mrs. Nkechi Mba, representing National Council of Women Societies.
Also in the committee are: Prof. Ben Angwe, executive secretary, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), representative of the United Nations (UN), representative of Department for International Development (DFID), representative of Unites States Agency for International Development (USAID), representative of International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Alh. Balarabe Musa, representing Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP), and two representatives of local civil society/youth groups (a male and a female).