A Makurdi-based pastor, David Ogbole has warned that the lack of retaliation against terrorist attacks will serve as an incentive and encouragement to strike and kill again.
Pastor Ogbole, a campaigner against herdsmen brutality disclosed this during an interview with THE WHISTLER, in Abuja.
The pastor who has experienced repeated terrorist attacks in and around Benue State said the government’s failures to react and take out the terrorists when they strike, have often served as encouragement to repeated attacks.
He advised the federal government to retaliate against any attack, especially the Niger State air crash that claimed at least 22 military personnel.
Recall that the military came under attack by some terrorists a week ago in Niger State and reportedly gunned down a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) MI-171 aircraft on a rescue mission.
Ogbole’s reaction stemmed from the recent body language of the Niger State Government towards the security concerns in the state.
The State government said it was considering a dialogue with the suspected terrorists who perpetrated the attack.
“We don’t want any major military activities in Niger as we also don’t want the grazers to leave our state because of business and the investment.
“But if we don’t get to that level of dialogue, then probably, we have to go fully military,” The Niger Governor, Umar Bago said, a few days after the incident.
Speaking to THE WHISTLER, Ogbole said the nature of the attack dared the Federal Government, and it is imperative to not handle the situation with kid gloves.
“The greatest affront to any nation is to kill the security, especially Army, Airforce, Navy etcetera of the nation. They are the last line of Defence of a nation.
“To kill them is the greatest insubordination or insurrection or crime you can do to a nation and the lack of retaliation will present opportunities of that kind of route to rise up again and commit that kind of nefarious acts”.
According to him, pleading with the Federal Government or the Service Chiefs to treat terrorists with care is a disservice to the populace whose lives and security are of top priority.
“While they are daring the federal government, there are kingsmen who are saying don’t kill them, they are our kingsmen in the bush.
Deal gently with them but they are killing the people,” he said.
Ogbole, also the Vice President of the Africa Food Security Academy urged the president to take the path of silence in striking back the assailants.
“If I was Tinubu, I would not announce it openly, but I would deal with those pockets of banditry,” he noted.
He urged the Federal Government to deal with insecurity holistically and ensure that people are publicly brought to justice, serving as a deterrent to others.
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Christopher Musa had while giving his remarks at the mass burial of the military personnel in Abuja, vowed to hunt down the terrorists and bring them to Justice.
Musa said the incident would not deter the military from bringing the assailants to book and restoring peace and security across the nation.
