THE Government, on Wednesday, warned that the Boko Haram sect must not be allowed to establish fresh links with the self-styled Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
This was as it called the parties involved in combating terrorism to continue to break any operational link between Boko Haram, Al Qaeda, El Shabab and other terrorist networks in the Sahel.
At a meeting in Abuja, which had representatives from China, Canada, United Kingdom (UK), United States (US) and other neighbouring countries in attendance, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Aminu Wali, stated that Nigeria was bothered because the terrorists singled out the country for atacks.
Wali told the meeting that the government was not aware of any model for prosecuting the war on terror, just as history and experience of countries that had faced the challenge of terrorism revealed no quick fixes.
He disclosed that the country was bothered about sponsors of the sect, as well as sources of its sophisticated arms and ammunition.
The minister described the declaration of an Islamic caliphate in some parts of the North-East as ludicrous and untenable, vowing that the government would never surrender to terror.
He told the participating countries that they, together with Nigeria, needed to track both local and external sources of funds, logistics, arms and ammunition to the terrorists, with a view to cutting them off and denying the insurgents the oxygen that nourished their actions.
“The Chibok girls are still in captivity. The terrorists have continued to strike sporadically at locations and times of their choice.
“Time has come to critically assess the overall impact of these meetings in order to ensure the safe rescue of the girls and stem the increasing tide of terrorist attacks in certain parts of northern Nigeria
“Together, we need to identify what is working and what we need to do more better or differently, both in the immediate and long term, to put a definite end to this scourge
“As Nigeria confronts this challenge, what bothers us most at this time can be reflected in a number of posers: who are the sponsors of Boko Haram terrorist campaigns? Who are those funding the insurgency? Where are the sources of the sophisticated arms and ammunition being used by the terrorists? Who are those seeking to redefine the territory of Nigeria and Africa in the 21st Century?
“Others are why Nigeria, at this time that the country has emerged as the largest economy on the continent?
“Does the world have a realistic option to a stable, prosperous and democratic Nigeria?
“One of the expected outcomes of our meeting is to see the beginning of concrete action in support of a post-conflict phase of rebuilding the infrastructure and restoring basic services to the three states under emergency rule in the North-East,” he said
