No more need for $1bn ECA funds since army claims it has completely defeated Boko Haram, Fayose argues

Ekiti State’s Governor Ayodele Fayose has said that there was no longer any need for the withdrawal of the $1 billion the governors approved for the Federal Government, from the Excess Crude Account (ECA), to use in the fight against insurgency in North East since the Army has completely defeated Boko Haram.

He was reacting to the claim by the Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole,Maj. Gen. Rogers Nicholas, on Sunday that the Nigerian Army has completely defeated the Boko Haram insurgents.

Nicholas, who spoke at the inauguration of the Nigeria-Cameroun Military Joint Mission, at the weekend, in Maiduguri, had claimed that troops of Operation Deep Punch II, on Friday, dislodged and occupied the insurgents’ tactical ground “Camp Zairo”.

He further said that over 100 of the insurgents surrendered and many fled, while more than 100 civilians were rescued.

“My soldiers are in the heart of Boko Haram enclave, “Camp Zairo” and have taken total control of Sambisa Forest.

“We have broken the heart and soul of Shekau’s group, taking over the camp and its environs. They are on the run and we are pursuing them to wherever they go. This time around, there is no place for escape anywhere.

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“We earlier asked them to surrender, and we are still asking them to surrender, otherwise they will meet it the hard way,” General Nicholas had said, and called on the insurgents and abducted persons to come out and surrender to the troops, saying they would not be harmed or killed.

But reacting to the development in a post on his twitter handle, Fayose wrote, “Now that the Military authorities have revealed that the army has completely defeated Boko Haram insurgents in the country, is there still any need for anyone to canvass argument in support of the FG plan to spend $1bn (N370bn) from the Excess Crude Account?”

 

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