The statement added that the attacks, reported seizures and declaration of an Islamic republic were unacceptable and must never be allowed because a republic cannot exist within a republic. NLC also expressed worry at the speed with which the insurgents were taking over communities, even in areas reported to have heavy security presence.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) today described Boko Haram’s massive attack on locations in the northeast as a declaration of war, and called on the government to equip the military forces to meet the challenge.
To that end, NLC called for urgent intervention in the funding and provision of appropriate equipment to the Nigerian armed forces as well as proper policing of communities across the country.
“The failure to do this will be a monumental discredit to the Federal Government under whose direction and authority the armed forces as well as the overall safety of all residents is constitutionally placed,” the NLC said in a statement signed by its president, Abdulwahed Omar.
The NLC commended the government for providing necessary human and material needs for the battle against the insurgents, but expressed the view that the government can do more in ensuring the troops are given modern weapons and other necessities required to fight contemporary wars, stressing that the situation has moved beyond mere insurgency.
The statement added that the attacks, reported seizures and declaration of an Islamic republic were unacceptable and must never be allowed because a republic cannot exist within a republic. NLC also expressed worry at the speed with which the insurgents were taking over communities, even in areas reported to have heavy security presence.
“While we appreciate the commitment of Nigeria's security agencies, particularly the armed forces, to the battle against insurgency in Nigeria, we strongly warn that the consequence of allowing any part of the country to be forcefully seized by any group will be overwhelmingly harmful to our collective unity and socio economic advancement, just as it would also endanger the growth of democracy,” the statement said.
Finally, the statement called on the armed forces to prove their preparedness to protect and defend the Nigerian people and their territories by using everything in their armory to protect Nigeria’s territorial integrity.
“The credibility and professional image of our armed forces would be at stake, even in global ratings, if our forces who have been widely acclaimed to have performed so well during peace keeping operations in different parts of the world would allow themselves to be overrun by insurgents back home.”