Why Military Operations Alone Won’t End Boko Haram – Bishop Kukah

The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Most Rev. Matthew Kukah, has stated that Nigeria cannot overcome insurgency through military operations alone.

Kukah made this statement while reviewing ‘Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum’, a new book authored by Lucky Irabor, former Chief of Defence Staff.

The Bishop stated that Nigeria’s reliance on military doctrines and repeated counter-insurgency operations had failed to produce lasting peace because Boko Haram represented an ideology, not just an armed threat.

“For years, we have had Operation Lafiya Dole, Operation Restore Order, Operation Hadin Kai, Operation Safe Haven, and many others.

“Yet, when one operation fails, another is launched. These operations have not ended the insurgency because you cannot fight an idea with weapons alone,” he said.