Military Liberated over 25 Towns under Jonathan, New Book Reveals

The newly released book ‘Boko Haram Media War: An Encounter with the Spymaster’ has listed over 25 major towns and cities recaptured by the Nigerian military during the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan before the final handover to President Mohammed Buhari.

“The book authored by award-winning public relations professional, Yushau Shuaib disclosed: “At the twilight of Jonathan’s administration, when Sambo Dasuki was the National Security Adviser, dozens of towns and cities in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States were recovered and confirmed with video and pictorial evidence through military press releases.

“Some of the liberated towns include, but not limited to: Abadam, Askira, Baga, Bama, Bara, Buni Yadi, Damboa, Dikwa, Gamboru-Ngala, Goniri, Gujba, Gulag, Gulani, Gwoza, Hong, Kala Balge, Konduga, Kukawa, Marte, Madagali, Michika, Monguno, Mubi, Vimtim, among other communities with pictorial and video evidence provided by the Defence Headquarters (DHQ).

“In one day alone, April 30, 2015, at least 234 abductees including women and children, were rescued by the military who had stormed sections of the Sambisa forest.
“A clear testimony to some of the accomplishments was the official DHQ release dated March 16, 2015, with reference No: DHQ/ABJ/901/32/DDI and titled: “Troops Finally Rout Terrorists from Bama and Last Stronghold in Yobe.”
The book, in other sections, revealed glowing tributes paid to Dasuki by some current top officers of the Buhari administration.

It disclosed how a top Buhari’s adviser commended Dasuki in an opinion article on May 1, 2015, for ensuring successes of the military operation against Boko Haram.
In another chapter, the book disclosed how one of Buhari’s spokespersons had predicted that Dasuki would face stiff challenges as Fulani man from North-west against Kanuri people of North-east who would frustrate him after his nomination by President Jonathan as NSA.

In a written piece in 2012, the said Buhari’s spokesperson even recommended and listed some Kanuri people that should have been considered for the appointment rather than the Sokoto Prince. The official had claimed that the appointment of Dasuki as a northerner might produce the direct opposite result of appeasement of the region. According to Buhari’s pubilicist “the Boko Haram terror movement is dominated by Kanuri boys, despite the recruitment of volunteers from areas outside Borno and Yobe States, adding that Dasuki’s appointment ignored the historical rivalries between the Kanuris and the North-west or more directly, the Fulani hegemony.”

The book also discloses how security and anti-corruption agencies monitored movements of cash in local and foreign currencies by the two major political parties, APC and PDP to win primaries and main elections in 2015.
The book has been attacked by the presidency over a claim in its foreword by Dasuki where he said Nigerian military intervention in the North-east in 2015 enabled the last general election to be conducted in the area.

A statement by the presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu, said: “The residents of the areas… were able to vote, not in their hometown but in refugee camps in other parts of Borno State under a special arrangement made by INEC.”
Garba who claimed that he had not fully read the book before making his official statement, said: “We will have to read the entire text to offer a full and adequate response”
In his response to the presidential statement, the author, Yushau Shuaib said they should be ready to also deny all their official statements in the book.

“Everything I need to say is in the book. Probably when they finally read the text and respond to every fact, they should expect more revelations that are yet to be made to the public, especially on campaign funding by the two major political parties for the 2015 elections.”
The book comes at a period when several women recently abducted by Boko Haram are pleading to be rescued with multiple suicide bombing attempts witnessed in a day.