In January, the
President of the Federation, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, made a change of the different service chiefs.
The incumbent Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshall Alex Badey, as part of his acceptance speech said that he would bring to an end the insurgence of Boko Haram come April this year.
So far, almost a month is past on the statement with less than three months for it to be achieved.
Our Senior Reporter, Lady Goodknows Ogbulu and Photographer, Dele Obinna went out into the city of Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital to feel the pulse of the public on the issue.
Excerpts:

Sir Prince Alanabo Fenibo Oko (Contractor): For the past months, the combined security team has been trying to quell the activities of the insurgence. I feel that the new Army chief should have been on ground to study the antics of the insurgents before making statements which are pre-emptive. Everybody is watching to see how he can do it in four months. For me, he has to double up, otherwise it would be unfortunate and difficult to quell the crisis. He has to study his predecessor and re-strategise to stop Boko Haram. The Boko Haram tactics are not definite and he needs to be on ground to check their rampaging tendencies and match actions with words.

Aleruchi Emmanuel (Chairman, Rivpeace): The issue of stopping Boko Haram can be possible if the military are   properly equipped. There should be recruitment of more personnel into the Army, Navy and Airforce and the security intelligence network should also be improved upon. On the other hand if the government is not up and doing then it will be difficult to meet up the mandate and assurances from the military. The sponsors of Boko Haram are prominent personalities and they need to be fished out, there should be no sacred cows. There should be effective training of military personnel to understand the tactics of the insurgents. I am very hopeful that with effective application of their intelligence, the military can quell Boko Haram.

Success Ekperchi Uju., Activist: It is an easy task if every stakeholder can put hands together. But it would be impossible if we the citizens of Nigeria, more especially the Northerners refuse to volunteer information and work with the military. The military cannot do it alone. Boko Haram members are human beings, and people know them so it is necessary for people to give information to the military to flush them from their various hideouts from whence they strike.
The fight against terrorism in Nigeria is a collective effort, the civil society must be involved, everybody must be involved. In fact, there must be proper understanding among the stakeholders. Meanwhile we must not over look the political undertone in what is happening. Politics is one of the problems that is causing Boko Haram. Those that do not like the government in power at the centre are directly behind Boko Haram. Such issues have to be properly addressed if the war against terrorism in Nigeria is to be taken seriously. A serving Senator in the North was once arrested in connection with Boko Haram. I believe if every hands are on deck by March ending there will be positive solution to Boko Haram, but if all hands are not on deck, it will be there till after election in 2015, because they know what they are doing, they know where they are going.

Mrs Gloria Johnson- Business woman:- Nothing is impossible: The most important thing is to study the strategy on ground because it is no longer a child’s play, the heat is everywhere. It is a serious security challenge in the country. I have confident in the new Army Chief; it takes commitment to achieve goals. What others could not achieve someone else can achieve it.
The security personnel are trained on issues like this and only them can do it with the support of the civilian population. It would be difficult where there is sabotage, where members of the security outfits have sympathy for the Boko Haram supporter it will be difficult and impossible to get positive result. For the Army Chief to make an optimistic statement about the end of terrorism in Nigeria means that he has a strategy on ground, he should be commended and given maximum support. He cannot just come on air and made statements without having some agenda on ground.
He has already mapped out his strategy, may be he has been doing something which nobody knows, which gives him the courage to say what he said, all we have to do is to give him and his security team total support to achieve set goals. Innocent lives have been lost and we must join hands together to stop the insurgence, it is not a military affair alone. Every Nigerian must be on the alert, and know that terrorism is not selective.

Ransom Evans: Business man: In my own perspective, anything that has to do with terrorism, there is no time frame for it as it can happen or occur any time anywhere, but I think, the Chief of Army Staff was sending the signal to other service chiefs on the imperatives to apply every apparatus to quell the insurgency. He wants them to buckle up and be ready to face terrorism with seriousness. The April deadlines is not a guarantee, the Boko Haram members are also very alert and would re-strategise their modes of operations, but the security network has to be strengthened, it is the duty of all Nigerians to ensure that the war against terrorism is a success.
In US last year, despite the tight security on ground somebody was reported to have engaged in several killing of people in a cinema, this is an indication that terrorism everywhere is the same. No one can actually fathom their targets. They can strike at anything, but we pray that the declaration of the new Army Chief should come to pass, that is the prayer of Nigerians. To me Boko Haram is not political, it is just an ideology of a set religious extremists who believe in the righteousness of their cause and want to impose it on all, they have come up to say that western education is evil, that is their concept, but that is really unacceptable to Nigeria, a multi ethnic country and hope of Africa. However, politics might only come in where sponsorship is considered because terrorism is an act that is expensive and the Boko Haram members definitely enjoy the backing of some moneybags. Most of the members that are caught and paraded cannot afford an AK 47 riffle. So.

Mrs France Wokoma: Civil Servant. I don’t know the modalities that are put on ground already, but if there are modalities, then the task is achievable. The issue is that the Boko Haram are not faceless, and they have had their way all these while without proper apprehension of their actions, they have proved to be a growing monster, but with proper and balanced security network, the monster can be tamed.
Although the time frame given is close I believe it is achievable, there is nothing impossible. My advice is that even though the Chief of Army Staff is not able to achieve his goal within this time frame he should not relent in his effort, but ensures that he hits his targets at least within the shortest period in office.