By Adesina Soyooye

A Nigerian Senator, Henry Seriake Dickson, has spoken up in support of  President Donald Trump’s stand  on the killings and terrorist attacks in Nigeria.

Dickson, a former two-term Governor of Bayelsa State, in a statement he titled “Alleged Genocide: My Stance On President Trump’s Statement”, noted that Trump’s

remarks are “a wake-up call to action” but also emphasized how important it is  to respect Nigeria’s sovereignty.

The Senator narrated how jihadist groups terrorize whole communities across Nigeria, and noted that this has been happening for more than 15 years.

Boko Haram and its affiliates such as ISWAP, ISIS, al-Qaeda, Lakurawa and Wulowulo, Dickson noted,  have caused “widespread destruction, introducing suicide bombings and spreading terror from Borno State across the northeast.

Places of worship, including churches and mosques, as well as palaces and traditional rulers, have not been spared.”

Senator Dickson emphasized the attacks on educational institutions, and pointed out the abductions of the Chibok girls, Dapchi girls, and Buni Yadi school children.

He noted: “To date, the whereabouts of many abducted students remain unknown, including Leah Sharibu and some of the Chibok girls.

“Universities have also faced attacks, and terrorist groups continue to control certain territories, particularly in Borno, Zamfara, and Katsina states, where they impose taxes and exercise authority outside Nigerian law, directly challenging the nation’s sovereignty.”

The Senator disclosed that insurgency, banditry, and terrorism are no longer only the exclusive of the northeast but has spread to other  states including Sokoto, Zamfara, Taraba, Katsina, Niger, and even Kwara. He pointed out that

“In the Middle Belt regions, such as Benue and Plateau, and in Southern Kaduna, coordinated attacks have resulted in massacres of innocent citizens and the displacement of indigenous communities. He, also, remarked that Government efforts  efforts, have done nothing to repel these attacks which continue to escalate.

He urged the Federal Government to collaborate with international partners to flush out terrorists and restore peace.

Dickson insisted that if Nigeria cannot effectively tackle the insurgency alone,  it must seek assistance from nations ready to  support the effort.

Part of Dickson’s statement reads: “I wish to state, firstly, that Nigeria’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national institutions must be respected by all. At the same time, I fully support any collaborative action aimed at eradicating the murderous bands of terrorists who have wantonly slaughtered thousands of our countrymen and women — Christians, Muslims, and people of other faiths alike.

“For almost 15 years, jihadist terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and affiliates of ISWAP, ISIS, al-Qaeda, and, more recently, groups like Lakurawa and Wulowulo, have wreaked unimaginable havoc. They introduced suicide bombing in Nigeria and began a murderous campaign, especially in Borno State, from which it gradually spread across the northeastern part of our country.

“Places of worship — both churches and mosques, as well as palaces and traditional rulers — have not been spared in their bloodbath. School children have been kidnapped, killed, or forcefully married off.

“The victims of these jihadist attacks, which began in Borno, were Muslims and Christians.

As fundamentalist groups opposed to Western education, these terrorists have consistently targeted schools and students, leading to the abductions of the Chibok girls, Dapchi girls, and Buni Yadi school children, among others. Till today, Nigeria has not fully accounted for the whereabouts of many of these students — for instance, Leah Sharibu and some Chibok girls remain missing.

“Universities and their students have also suffered attacks, and these terrorist groups still maintain footholds and control territories within Nigeria. In states such as Borno, Zamfara, and Katsina, according to accounts from government officials and community leaders, these terrorists continue to control territories, impose taxes on locals, and generally exercise authority — by their own rules, not by the laws of the Nigerian state or the Constitution.

This is a direct affront to Nigeria’s sovereignty and should not be tolerated any further. President Trump’s statement is a wake-up call to action. If the Nigerian government is unable to address this issue effectively, then it must collaborate with those who can help us flush out these terrorists.

“At the Senate, my colleagues and I have repeatedly raised these issues, even beyond the floor of the Senate. Hardly a week passes without a member of the Senate drawing attention to reports of killings and attacks on villages in one constituency or the other.

“The Senate has paid countless tributes in memory of those killed, as well as several suggestions and proposals to the Executive, including the proposal for a National Security Summit to be held soon. Most recently, the Senate took a motion and directed its leadership to interface with the President to dispatch a non-partisan team of experts and statesmen to Washington D.C.

“Even states that were once considered safe zones have now been affected, as the insurgency, banditry, and terrorism have spread to places like Sokoto, Zamfara, Taraba, Katsina, Niger, and even Kwara. Everyone in Nigeria knows that in the Middle Belt regions of Benue and Plateau, and also in Southern Kaduna, the coordinated massacres of innocent citizens by marauding terrorists and bandits, coupled with the displacement of Indigenous communities, have been going on for many years.

“Some of the footages of the carnage are unimaginable, while efforts by government and security agencies have clearly not been effective in tackling the menace.”

President Trump of the USA, had last week, declared Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern, and followed up with threats of possible military operations in the Country to protect the Christian Community against alleged genocide attack against them.