Every Nigerian Child Unaccounted For Is A Scar On Nigeria’s Face — Kukah
Rev. Matthew Kukah, the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, says fighting insurgency must become very professional. The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, Rev. Matthew Kukah, on Friday said Nigeria has struggled to identify the nature of the forces and the idea behind the insurgency in the country because it was treated as a military operation. Kukah said Nigeria needed to deal with practical issues, adding that the abduction of every child in Nigeria is “a scar” on the face of the nation.
He spoke at the unveiling of the book, ‘Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum,’ authored by a former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Lucky Irabor, in Abuja.“In my view, as long as Leah Shaibu remains unaccounted for, and as long as any abducted children in Nigeria remain unaccounted for, every missing child is a scar on the face of Nigeria.“These issues do not require bullets, but from day one, fighting Boko Haram became a military operation. Because it was treated as a military operation, we have struggled to identify the nature of the forces and the idea behind them,” he said.
According to him, the nation needs to reach a point where Nigerians can see a soldier and give him the respect they are due. “If there is a psychological feeling that we are competing over the same thing, that should not be so.“ I believe Nigeria needs to deal with practical issues, because the Boko Haram question is not solely about victory, defeat, conquest, or degradation.
“These are military concepts. The question we must ask is what the end of Boko Haram will look like, because we are dealing with a concept.“ We are confusing the professional and the intellectual components of fighting this war. Fighting a war of this nature must become very professional.”
