Ex-NSA, Dasuki Speaks from Detention, Opens Up on 2015 Presidential Elections, Boko Haram Menace

Posted by Odinaka on Sun 16th Jul, 2017 - tori.ng

Incarcerated former National Security Adviser has on the intervention of the President Goodluck Jonathan regime in tackling the Boko-Haram menace and recovering dozens of towns and villages in the North-Eastern part of Nigeria.

Col. Sambo Dasuki Former NSA and Goodluck Jonathan

Former National Security Adviser(NSA), Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd), has spoken highly of the prompt intervention of the regime of President Goodluck Jonathan in tackling the Boko-Haram menace and recovering dozens of towns and villages which led to the smooth conduct of 2015 general elections in the North-Eastern part of Nigeria.

According to a report by Vanguard, while speaking in his foreword to a 308-page new book titled: “Boko Haram Media War- An Encounter with the Spymaster” written by Yushau A. Shuaib, the former NSA said;

“In the war-front are evident success stories which Shuaib has mentioned in some of the articles that featured in this book, especially on media relations, self-censorship, gallantry in recovering dozens of cities and towns among other declassified revelations.

“In fact, without our intervention in ensuring the defeat of Boko Haram, the electorates could not have had the opportunity to exercise their franchise. It is a fact that we provided peace and stability that afforded Nigerians, especially in the North-East in voting for their governors, legislators and others in the 2015 elections.”

Dasuki noted that apart from the Soft Approach Programme initiated for countering terrorism through de-radicalization without the use of force, the administration also introduced and implemented programmes for economic empowerment, education, communication, rehabilitation and counselling in the North-East.

According to the former National Security Adviser, “Crisis Communication, as one of the components of general campaigns, was initiated to win the heart of the citizens, boost the morale of the troops and weaken the fighting spirit of the terrorists.”

He said: “On the media campaign, Yushau Shuaib who came highly recommended had been disengaged from the public service but was immediately re-engaged by the system to act as Chief Consultant on Crisis Communication. From the theories of Mass Communication, we deployed practical aspects of Crisis Communication throughout the Campaign period, especially between June 2013 to May 2015”.

Dasuki posited that Sensitive security issues were handled in a most professional manner, with strict adherence to confidentiality to avoid compromising national security.

He further said that “In strategic communication for crisis management, especially in confronting the Boko Haram, the media was a major tool in the campaign against the insurgency. There was thorough, timely and responsible reportage of the campaign. Some of the media played very strategic roles at great risk to their lives in the successes recorded, especially by our forces in the war against terrorism”.

He said as part of efforts in ensuring the mutual relationship with the media stakeholders, a 17-member Forum of the Spokespersons of Security and Response Agencies (FOSSRA) was established with representatives from the military, security, intelligence and response agencies.