The Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai, has said that terrorism and terrorist groups could not be eliminated alone by the military unless religious bodies and organisations in the country come to the “forefront of this spiritual battle.”

The army chief noted that the focus must be religious groups interfacing on addressing the ideologies which fuelled the Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists.

Buratai stated these on Monday in Abuja at a spiritual warfare seminar at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre with the theme, “countering insurgency and violent extremism in Nigeria through spiritual warfare.”


The army chief, who was represented by the Chief of Administration, Maj Gen Sani Yusuf, therefore, urges Islamic and Christian clerics across the army formations to join the fight against terrorism, and reorient the people against negative ideologies.

Buratai said, “It is easier to defeat Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists than their ideology because while we degrade the terrorists and their havens, the narrative of the ideology grows the group.

“Therefore, communities, families, and groups should join in the fight and narratives to reject and prevent the ideologies of the terrorists and extremist groups.


“Religious bodies and organisations in particular who interface regularly with the grassroots should be at the forefront of this spiritual battle and fashion out ways of stepping up their roles.

“The fight against terrorism, Boko Haram and ISWAP, as well as other security threats, cannot be left to the troops in the battlefield alone. Yes, we will do our duties but the need to tackle groups through spiritual warfare and reorientating the followers against the ideology is also a necessity.


“It is a well-known fact that terrorism and terrorist groups cannot be totally eliminated by mainly military actions. This means focusing our efforts on the underlying narratives through ideologies that are employed by these terrorists to lure innocent citizens to their fold.

“The need to defeat the ideologies of Boko Haram and ISWAP is based on the awareness that it is the ideologies that enhance their resources and help to recruit new fighters to their fold and as such; kill their ideology and the terrorist movement withers and dies.”


The army chief added that religious leaders and clerics who regularly interfaced with members of the society must “fashion out ways of stepping up your roles, remembering that the fight against terrorism is a collective responsibility.”

https://punchng.com/spiritual-efforts-needed-to-defeat-boko-haram-buratai/amp/

59 years...shame on Nigeria.

Christianity and African traditional religion don't encourage or promote terrorism. Buratai should know that.

SO SOLDIERS BELIEVE IN GOD...BEFORE NOW THEY BEHAVE LIKE THE PUBLIC SHOULD WORSHIP THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE SOLDIERS.....GOD IS BEGINNING TO HUMBLE THEM.....MAY GOD HELP THEM.

Welcome to Next level devil, where prayers will now replace bullets. Boko Haram are in trouble!

The billions siphoned by Buratai and his band of generals' pockets in the war against insurgency is not needed to defeat Boko Haram... But prayers.

Okay!

Is this true or another of those fake news....

After appropriating but embezzling the $1B counter-insurgency funds? So what did the Army smoked when it earlier said it has technically defeated the same BH sect?

I don't just understand the news I read anymore.

I think I should stop listening to news.

Only those who created, nurtured and fed Boko Haram can defeat it.

This mess was created by Islamic leaders to undermine OBJ government. First was introduction of Sharia and all arguement and uproar against it was shouted down. The north saw sharia as counter force to Niger Delta agitation for resource control. To them, either Sharia or Nigeria will be destroyed. The hues was so much that it became a national issue. I recall that the first chairman of Conference of Speakers of State houses of Assembly, Mr Okosun of Edo state lost political relevant for challenging Sharia. The man had responded to a question on Sharia and said " ... sharia code will die a natural death ..." The Islamic leaders never forgave that man. Soon almost all states in core North introduced sharia. Thereafter, Boko Haram was born.

The group was nurtured to undermine OBJ because of his religion. When Jonathan came to power, northern leaders "encouraged" Boko Haram just so that Jonathan government was destabilized forgetting that "the evil that men do lives after them". The same terrorists they created, nurtured and fed have now grown that it is consuming the creator and their children. We now have bandits all over northern Nigeria, kidnapping, raping, killing, enslaving and so on.

The Islamic cleric need to start teaching the right thing and stop myopic teaching of hatred for other religions.

Nah thunder go fire all these people!!

cowardz

lol

Buratai needs to start learning comedy from Woli Agba and Woli Arole. He needs being relieved of his duty. He doesn’t know what he is doing

Tolexander:
lol

Buratai needs to start learning comedy from Woli Agba and Woli Arole. He needs being relieved of his duty. He doesn’t know what he is doing

From You Lalasticlala must hear this

It's not surprising that boko haram are getting stronger under northerners with buhari leading the pack.

I hope Nigerians can see why GEJ used merceneris to deal with boko haram during his tenure. Northern army generals are aiding and abetting boko haram. That's why the terrorist group is becoming deadly with record breaking massacre of Nigerian soldiers by an armed group since after the civil war.
Is there any rational reason why buratai is still in charge despite record breaking slaughter of Nigerian soldiers by boko haram under his watch? Of course not. Buratai serves an agenda. The agenda has nothing to do with defeating boko haram. The agenda has more to do with using boko haram to kill 2 birds.

NOTE; boko haram and Buhari's regime are both sunnis. They fight the same cause - Islamization and Implementation of sharia across Nigeria.

Nigerians better wake up from slumber, buhari's regime is pulling Taqiya on them.

Trying to know how THESE OLODO Keep scamming us with religion

Guess it's the same technically defeated, terribly downgraded, or BH lacking the capacity to carry major attacks or attacking soft targets?

After appropriating but embezzling the $1B counter-insurgency funds? So what did the Army smoked when it earlier said it has technically defeated the same BH sect?

APC government under Buhari is the most useless and irresponsible Nigeria has ever had.Spit on the head of zombies.

Wtf . This country is bleeped already. Is there even anything like spiritual ??

They never fight without jazz, after they claim they worship God.

We will win this war by God's grace.

There was a time in our country that people were afraid to go to church on sundays or visit the market places or stay among a group of people.
Slow and steady we will all win together.

God Save Nigeria.

God Almighty has taken away the protection of the enemies of this nation. He has taken away their powers, the noise we hear, the turbulence we experience, are the last gasps of a defeated foe. The day of freedom is at the door.

.....Venom236, nice words!

Shame

Can you imagine what would have happened if an American general had said this?

[s]

JasonScoolari:
When GEJ was there trying his best to salvage the situation, Baba Lifeless and his league of mor0ns called GEJ unprintable names like "Clueless Otuoke Drunk" "Ineffectual buffoon"


Now, power has change hands, and the affidavit Grand Commander of the Federal Republic has lost ideas and he's totally clueless on how to handle the situation he criticised.


Just imagine how a useless daura drunkard is playing with lives of his fellow citizens.

[/s]

Hmmmm...in a country where the most spiritual control every affair of governance. They chain and abuse those who can't recite their spiritual book correctly, shut down a school when a page of same book disappears or reappears in sewage.

Bubu till 2090

This man is not serious at all i still wonder y he is still there.aturuawusa

buhari is a criminal terrorist
aisha is a shameless corrupt prostitute
in a saner clime brutai will be in gallows for crimes against humanity and corruption


North Korea Kim would have executed him with a full loaded AA (anti aircraft)

Àwon wèrè.

Since our VP is a pastor he shld b relocated to d North East asap

Dem don come o!

What is he saying? That guns are no longer killing them bokos?