Doyin Okupe: Failing to control Boko Haram
Why has the government in Nigeria been unable to defeat Boko Haram?
Since 2009, Boko Haram which wants to create an Islamic state, has been causing havoc in Africa’s most populous country through a series of bombings, killings and now abductions. This year, 2014, has proved their most violent one with 3000 people killed in Boko Haram related violence.
The Nigerian government has promised to take all necessary action against the insurgency and bring back normalcy to the region.
The President, Goodluck Jonathan has, however largely stayed out of the media spotlight, deflecting critical questions to his aides who have been stepping up their campaign to defend the government’s response to Boko Haram.
Talk to Al Jazeera spoke to Doyin Okupe, Senior Advisor to Nigeria’s president and asked him why the violence continues.
He says “What has sustained the war in favor of Boko Haram was their ability to strike Nigeria and go back in hiding in Niger or Cameroun. If they stay on this soil, we will smoke them out”.
Doyin Okupe elaborates on this when he talks to Al Jazeera.