A retired Brigadier General of the Nigerian Army, Idris Bello, has said that good intelligence gathering by the Nigerian military among others, is capable of bringing an end to the war against Boko Haram.
He told journalists in an interview that: “on the issue of the arrest & prosecution of some Nigerians in Dubai accused of wiring huge funds to Boko Haram. This is a very welcome development as it will serve to weaken the insurgents. By this act, one of their main sources of financing has been permanently blocked and so they will have less funds for weapon purchase and logistics.”
“This has been achievable due to excellent intelligence gathering probably over a long period of time. This is a clear indication of how very important intelligence gathering is in the fight against insurgency and other security challenges.”
“The issue of America using Nigeria’s air space to rescue a kidnapped American citizen is also heavily connected to good intelligence. The Americans must be monitoring the situation for a while using both human & electronic mediums.”
“The operation was made easier by the fact the location was isolated. It would have been more difficult if it were in a densely populated area. The Americans also operated in liaison with the Nigerian and Nigerien security agencies… That’s my take on the two issues,” he said.
