The Nigeria army on Monday urged religious organization to join it with their prayers for “spiritual battle against insurgency and extremism” in the country.
At a seminar, tagged Countering Insurgency and Violent Extremism in Nigeria Through Spiritual Warfare, held at the Nigerian Army Resource Center, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, said the army needs the support of religious organizations in the country and across army formations in the fight against terrorism.
According the him “It is easier to defeat Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists than their ideology because, while we degrade the terrorists and their havens, the narrative of the ideology grows the group.
“Therefore, communities, families, and groups should join in the fight and narratives to reject and prevent the ideologies of the terrorists and extremist groups.
“Religious bodies and organisations in particular who interface regularly with the grassroots should be at the forefront of this spiritual battle and fashion out ways of stepping up their roles.
“The fight against terrorism, Boko Haram and ISWAP, as well as other security threats, cannot be left to the troops in the battle field alone.
“Yes, we will do our duties, but the need to tackle groups through spiritual warfare and re-orientating the followers against the ideology is also a necessity.
“It is a well-known fact that terrorism and terrorist groups cannot be totally eliminated by mainly military actions.
“This means focusing our efforts on the underlying narratives through ideologies that are employed by these terrorists to lure innocent citizens to their fold.
“The need to defeat the ideologies of Boko Haram and ISWAP is based on the awareness that it is the ideologies that enhance their resources and help to recruit new fighters to their fold and as such; kill their ideology and the terrorist movement withers and dies.”
The Army chief was represented by Chief of Administration, Major General Sani Yusuf at the event.
