The Chief of Defense Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh, has stated that the Boko Haram insurgency must be stopped by April in order to forestall a constitutional crisis in the country.
Political analysts speculate the Federal Government would invoke its constitutional powers to forego elections in the States where a state of emergency has been declared if the violence does not abate.
Badeh made the statements whilst collecting handover notes from his predecessor, Admiral Ola Ibrahim at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja yesterday.
Speaking with optimism, he ascertained to his fellow service chiefs, Chief of Army Staff, Maj.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah and Chief of Air and Naval Staff, Air-Vice Marshal Adesola Amosun and Rear Admiral Usman Jubrin that it was possible to curb the menace by Spring.
He said, “The security situation in the North East must be brought to a complete stop before April 2014. We must bring it to a stop before April so that we will not have constitutional problems on our hands. We don’t want to go back to the Senate to start begging and lobbying. If we do our work cohesively, I can tell you Gen. Minimah, you will finish your work in no time.
“I can assure you (Minimah) that the Chief of Naval Staff and the Chief of Air Staff will give you all the support you need. I can say confidently that this war is already won,” he added.