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Tag: insurgency

  • Insurgency: Norway gives US$11.5 million for northeast

    Insurgency: Norway gives US$11.5 million for northeast

    The Government of Norway has donated $11.5 million (3.6 billion Naira) to improve basic education and support girls and women who have been victims of sexual violence by Boko Haram in the conflict-affected northeast states, such as Borno, Yobe, Adamawa and Gombe.

    A press statement made available to The Nation yesterday by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Chief Communication Officer, Mrs. Doune Porter, said the funding is part of the Safe Schools Initiative in northern Nigeria.

    She noted that in 2013, Norway was a pioneer member of the Safe Schools Initiative committee established in response to Boko Haram attacks on schools in the northeast and the urgent need to provide a safe learning environment for children.

    She said with UNICEF support, about one hundred thousand children are currently accessing education through Temporary Learning Spaces and schools in northeast Nigeria.

    She explained that the fund will further boost access to education for an additional half a million boys and girls in internally displaced persons’ camps, host communities and areas of Borno State that have recently become accessible areas to humanitarian assistance.

    The Norwegian Ambassador to Nigeria, Jens-Petter Kjemprud, in the statement said, “We believe in the importance of doing what we can to break the cycle of violence in northeast Nigeria.

    “This funding will provide more basic education in a good learning environment and will provide much-needed counseling for girls who have suffered unimaginable trauma at the hands of Boko Haram.”

    Kjemprud added that Norwegian Foreign Minister, Mr. Børge Brende, also attended the signing ceremony to formalise the grant.

    He said the funding from Norway will provide children; especially girls affected by the conflict, with uniforms to wear to school and will enable them to learn in secure, safe and protected environments.

    “Teachers will be trained to improve their skills so they can deliver quality teaching and improve learning results for children; school systems will be improved through training and mentoring of head-teachers on management knowledge and skills.

    “School Based Management Committee (SBMCs) members will be trained in school planning, including disaster risk reduction to make schools a safer place for children.

    “The funding will also support approximately 1,600 of the thousands of girls and women that UNICEF estimates have been raped, abducted and forcibly married as a result of the conflict.”

  • Academic excellence key to winning war against insurgency, says ex-Army chief

    Academic excellence key to winning war against insurgency, says ex-Army chief

    Nigeria Defence Academy’s (NDA’s) former Commandant Maj.- Gen. Mahmood A. Yerima (rtd) has identified academic excellence as imperative to winning the war against insurgency.

    Yerima spoke at the matriculation of 453 officer cadets of 68 Regular Course at the NDA yesterday.

    He said the changing nature of warfare demanded innovation and creativity driven by research and technology, adding that only an academically sound officer could cope with modern military imperative.

    At the matriculation ceremony at NDA’s permanent site yesterday, the ex-commandant urged the new cadets to take the academic exercises as serious

    Yerima, however, urged them to be focused, courageous and work hard, shunning negative tendencies to excel in their journey to become members of the Armed Forces.

    Delivering the matriculation inaugural lecture, the Commandant, Maj.- Gen. Mohammed T. Ibrahim, told parents of the cadets and others to stop destroying the future of Nigerians by over-pampering their children.

    The Army general lamented that today’s parents were building a nation of dependant future generations, who may be unable to do anything for themselves.

    According to him, the Armed Forces need courageous and independent-minded officers.

    Reminding the cadets that the training, as well as their career choice was a challenging one, the commandant urged them not to fear anything, including death, but work like heroes, live like heroes and if they must die, they must die like heroes.

    The 453 officer cadets, who are to combine military training with academic pursuit for five years, include 237 from Army, 115, Navy and 101, Air Force.

  • Buratai to troops: end insurgency now 

    Buratai to troops: end insurgency now 

    Chief of Army Staff Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai has given a marching order to the troops in the war front to end the war against Boko Haram now.

    He gave a deadline of end of this month to finish off the terrorists so that “troops will be able to return to the barracks by 2017”.

    Gen. Buratai however urged his men to treat arrested insurgents gently.

    He gave the directive in a goodwill message titled ‘no more time to waste’ to troops of “Operation Lafiya Dole”, the name for the operation against insurgency in the Northeast. “No stone should be left unturned” in the effort to end the war, he said.

    Gen. Buratai said: “ I am sending to you all, the troops of Operation Lafiya Dole best wishes as the Yuletide approaches, I commend you for your sacrifices, commitment, loyalty and courage in the service of our fatherland.

    “I wish to make this call to action and wake up call to you all and to emphasise that we must immediately begin to embark on the final aggressive action and comprehensive sweep of the operational theater with a view to ending the operation on a very high note. In this regard, no stone should be left unturned. I therefore call on all officers and soldiers to buckle up and ensure that remnants of Boko Haram terrorists are completely cleared.

    “I hope to be with you sometime this month to motivate and positively influence the ongoing perations.  This is with a view to having a colourful end of year and peaceful Yuletide in the North East and indeed Nigeria. I urge all commanders to plan and embark on effective patrols, raids, ambushes and deliberate attacks in conjunction with other Services, especially the Nigerian Air Force and Nigerian Navy, to rescue all those abducted by the terrorists.”

    The Army chief said “captured and surrendered Boko Haram terrorists” must be treated humanely and fairly and in strict accordance with the provisions of International Humanitarian Law and Laws of Armed Conflict.

    He said his men must be prepared to enter all fortresses, camps, dens and enclaves of the Boko Haram to flush them out and dominate these areas to ensure they are not reoccupied. He said this month would decide the success or failure of the operation.

    Gen. Buratai addedi: “I wish to reiterate that December is a month of decision.

    It is either we succeed in clearing the remnants of Boko Haram terrorists or we continue to live in perpetual circle of their atrocities in the North East.  I hereby want to reassure all troops that I intend to return everybody back to barracks in 2017, only leaving behind a strong, highly mobile, effective and motivated force that will continue to do the good work that we have already started.

    “In this regard we shall also bring reassurances to the populace as normalcy finally returns to the area. “

    Operation Lafiya Dole has successfully pushed back Boko Haram terrorists, taking much of the territories formerly held by the insurgents. However, Boko Haram still operates in some villages, especially in Northern Borno.

  • Boko Haram: ITF trains 1,100 youths in Borno

    Boko Haram: ITF trains 1,100 youths in Borno

    The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) has trained no fewer than 1,100 youths in Borno in various vocational skills, the ITF Area Manager in the state, Malam Aminu Hassan, said on Wednesday.

    Hassan said in Maiduguri during the launch of the fifth phase of the National Industrial Skills Development Programme that the beneficiaries were vulnerable victims of Boko Haram insurgency.

    He said 700 women and 400 men, drawn from the 27 local government areas of the state, were trained by the organisation.

    According to him, the beneficiaries were equipped with skills to enable them generate wealth and become self-reliant.

    The ITF Area Manager said that during the three month training programme, the male beneficiaries were trained in poultry farming, plumbing, shoe making, carpentry and other related trades.

    “The women were exposed to knitting, pomade making, fashion design, shampoo production among other skills.

    “The Fund is partnering with Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Borno State Government and Bank of Industry.

    “One of the cardinal policies of the Federal Government is to create jobs and wealth for all Nigerians.

    “Under the scheme, 500 candidates were trained in other states but because of the insurgency in Borno 1,100 were accommodated in the programme,” Hassan said.

    He added that those trained would receive resettlement allowances from the Bank of Agriculture to start their own businesses.

  • FG moves against use of chemical weapon

    The Federal Government is taking steps to prevent use of chemical weapons for insurgency and militancy in the country.

    Apart from banning unneeded dangerous chemicals from coming into the country, the government is also monitoring the use of dangerous chemicals needed for other legitimate use in Nigeria.

    The Acting Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Mrs. Yetunde Oni and the Permanent Secretary of Political and Economic Affairs in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chairman of the NAC/BWC Office, Ambassador Olukunle Bamgbose, disclosed the new move in Abuja on Monday.

    They spoke during an international workshop on Assistance and Protection Against Chemical Weapons” organised by the National Authority on Chemical and Biological Weapons Conventions Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), the African Union (AU) and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

    Oni said: “You are aware NAFDAC is not solely meant for food and drugs alone, we also control chemicals. In a bit to do what is expected of us in ensuring the chemicals are used for the purpose for which they are meant, NAFDAC restructured and we established the chemical evaluation and research directorate. The onus is on this directorate to ensure that whoever is bringing in the chemicals is given a checklist.”

    According to her, there is increasing evidences that chemical can contribute to health, environmental and security problems at various stages during their life-cycle from production, import and disposal.

    Bamgbose said that the event seek to identify and bridge the gaps in the implementation of the Chemical Weapon Control and proffer improvement.

    The workshop, he said, is also to evolve a National Action Plan to guide and regulate the use and threat to the use of chemical weapons in Nigeria among others threats.

    The ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Mrs. Halima Ahmed warned the Federal Government against ignoring the possibility of the Boko Haram and Niger-Delta militants using biological and chemical weapons for terrorism.

    She said: “ECOWAS is committed to ensuring that chemical and biological weapons threats are not allowed with the consequences of their usage in Syria and other parts of Middle Eat. On no account should Boko Haram insurgents and Niger Delta militants be allowed to have access to chemical and biological weapons in Nigeria or other terror groups in Africa.”

    The Director General, Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) represented by the Project Officer, Assistance and Protection of the organisation Esmel Oscar Meless urged the domestication of all legal instruments to prohibit usage of chemical and biological weapons  in West Africa and Africa.

  • ‘Chibok schoolgirl’s child not for Boko Haram’

    ‘Chibok schoolgirl’s child not for Boko Haram’

    One of the Chibok schoolgirls that came back with a child was already pregnant before she was abducted along with 219 other girls by Boko Haram gunmen on 14 April 2014.

    A source close to negotiations to free the remaining schoolgirls told NAN that there was no truth whatsoever in stories making the rounds that the girl was impregnated by one of her Boko Haram abductors.

    The informed source clarified that contrary to some media reports, the girl had conceived before her abduction after being properly married.

    “The girl and her parents have confirmed this. The child is not a Boko Haram Child,’’he said.

    The source also debunked stories that one of the girls came back pregnant, with some reports specifically saying one was four months pregnant.

    The NAN source trashed the stories as unfounded.

    “None of the girls released was sexually harassed or abused while in captivity by their abductors,” he said.

    “The current state of the girls is a source of joy as they are receiving the best medical, psychological and other forms of support from the authorities as directed by the Federal Government

    “All groups including the families, The Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) and Chibok Community are happy with their condition as medical experts work to address their health conditions.

    “The girls have been visited by members of International Committee of the Red Cross, which played a great role in getting the girls freed.

    “It is obvious to everyone that having been in captivity, the girls were traumatised but since their release, they are showing signs of recovering well,’’ he said.

    Rumours, speculative reports about the state of the 21 released Boko Haram captives, are said to be creating stumbling blocks to further talks with the insurgents.

    The insurgents were said to be angry with Government for breaching some understanding reached with them when the 21 girls were being handed over 13 october.

    However, government sources have denied any link with various speculative reports, especially in the social media.

  • Military alone can’t win war against insurgency

    Military alone can’t win war against insurgency

    Military force alone cannot win the war against terrorism and insurgency in Nigeria’s northeast region but  a combination of sustained approach which targets every stage of radicalization process to reverse the extremist ideologies that have taken root in the region.

    The Chief of Defence Staff(CDS), General Gabriel  Abayomi Olonisakin stated this while delivering an address titled “ National Contribution to Global Peace: The role of the Armed Forces of Nigeria,”  at the opening ceremony of the Nigeria Security Exhibition & Conference (NISEC) in Abuja.

    The CDS said  some of the new approach adopted by the government to bring long-term peace to the north east include  efforts to address identified socio-economic grievances, rehabilitation of radicalized members of religious extremists groups among others.

    “ I  must emphasize that the main long- term challenge for lasting peace in Northeastern Nigeria is the longer-running radicalization dynamics that have altered the traditional mindset of many people in the region. We appreciate that military force alone will not counter such threats in a manner that brings lasting peace. Thus the government has adopted a sustained approach targeting every state of the radicalization process so as to reverse the extremist ideologies that have taken root in the area.

    “ This includes efforts to address identified socio-economic grievances; institution of inter-ethnic peace building initiatives, rehabilitation of radicalized members of religious extremist groups and perhaps a measured use of force by security agencies.”

    While speaking on global peace and the role of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, Olonisakin who was represented by Air Commodore Jimi Olalekan Lawal noted that Nigeria has a robust history of contributing both personnel and aid to global peace and security especially the deployment of military personnel to conflict zones all over the world.

    Olonisakin said, “Nigeria’s contribution to peace building goes beyond participation of the armed forces; often we are the vanguard of the diplomatic efforts to resolve disputes in our sub- region and beyond. Some of the efforts involve military deployment to foreign countries with minimal media coverage, like the Nigerian Army and Air Force assets to Mali, Nigerian Navy and Air Force assets to Guinea Bissau. Nigeria has also provided Technical Aid Corps of civilian professionals to countries weakened by conflict.”

    He noted that the conflict in Syria has witnessed overt interests of external powers alleging that such powers may also be at play in the crisis in the North east. “We are all aware that the conflict in Syria has witnessed overt involvement and competing interests of external powers, while such activities are not overtly displayed in our sub- region, we must not let ourselves believe that such foreign influences are not at play in the security challenges in Nigeria, or Libya or Mali.”

    Olonisakin also said Nigeria’s strategy towards contributing troops for peace keeping operations would change following the lessons of Liberia and Sierra-Leone. “The underlying diplomatic and strategic objectives may change, in this regard; the unconditional sacrifices made by the personnel of the Armed Forces of Nigeria in the pursuit of peace may not reoccur in the future, we have already learnt some lessons from the sacrifices made in Liberia and Sierra Leone.  I say this because some Western Media are quick to give credit for the successes in Sierra Leone to the British.

    “ As a matter of fact, United Kingdom (UK) media often credit the British Army and the United Nations for restoring peace to Sierra Leone and this is done in a manner that ignores the contributions of the West African nations  which participated in ECOMOG operations. Given the circumstances, we must look beyond the objectives of restoring peace. This also means we must map out a national strategy which determines the gains to our nation before we commit men and resources on a large scale as was done during ECOMOG operations in Liberia and Sierra Leone.”

    Also speaking at the event,  Lt. Gen Chikadibia Obiakor (rtd) noted that to win the war against insurgency, Nigeria must begin to develop her own military equipment without relying on importation of military hardware. He noted that Sudan has developed the capacity for building military hardware through the Military Industry Corporation (MIC).

      Obiakor: “Look at the people in Sudan, I never knew they have a company called Military Industry Corporation (MIC) and you can see the range of products, it takes just one thing, the political will and committing resources. No country can afford to be importing all its security equipment, we just have to look inwards,  over dependence on foreign importations of your security gadgets has pitfalls ,they can put embargo on you when you need the weapons most, Nigeria has that experience starting from the civil war.. I know we have the capacity, I know we have the capability all we need is to be focused, there are men and women in this country who can do all these things.”

    The Chief Organiser of the event, Comrade Frank Ohwofa said the event was organized to build Africa’s Defence institutions and a platform to share ideas on military and technical know-how among Defence institutions in Africa.

    The NISEC Exhibition also witnessed military hardware exhibitions and representatives of Defence personnel from Ghana, Cameroon, Sudan and Ukraine.

  • NAF launches ‘Operation Forest Storm’ against insurgency

    NAF launches ‘Operation Forest Storm’ against insurgency

    The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) yesterday launched ‘Operation Forest Storm’ against the Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast.

    The new operation is to eliminate the inflow of Boko Haram insurgents from the northern part of Borno to the South.

    Addressing reporters at the NAF base in Yola, the Adamawa State capital, Chief of Training and Operations, Air Vice Marshal Ahmed Abdullahi Iya, said the special operation would last for about seven days.

    He said air surveillance conducted over the entire theatre of operations in the Northeast showed some insurgents in the southern part of the Area of Operation and so Forest Storm is specifically designed to take care of them.

    Iya said: “As part of our campaign against insurgency in the Northeast, we have been focusing more on the north. Nevertheless, we conducted surveillance all over the theatre of operations and we noticed some insurgents in the south, which is why we launched a special operation to take care of that.

    “The operation is code named ‘Operation Forest Storm’ and it is just for a few days. We are focusing mainly on interdiction; we have identified a specific target to take out through interdiction. From our calculations it will not take more than three days, but we are planning for seven days to take care of what we have seen.”

    Iya added that since the campaign began, security has improved in the Northeast and the military operations have been able to degrade the ranks of the insurgents.

    “We know things have improved from the nature of attacks, you no longer see them attacking in large convoys as most of them use motorcycles now.”

    He stressed that civilians have nothing to fear about the operation as the Air Force will ensure there is no collateral damage.

    “We have conducted surveillance, selected our targets and analysed well before we decided on the attack, the mode and the type of weapon to use. All these are carefully planned and we do not forsee any collateral damage so there is no cause for alarm,” Iya said.

  • Insurgency: NGO seeks cut in civilian casualties

    A non-governmental organisation, Centre for Civilians in Conflict, has bemoaned the high number of civilian deaths during counter-insurgency operations.

    Head of the centre in Nigeria, Sadiq Shehu said the figures are high and unacceptable, and urges the government and military to reduce them since it is virtually impossible to avert civilian deaths in such operations.

    He said he believed the Nigerian government and the military high command could cut down the casualty figures if they put certain measures in place.

    Shehu said, “We call on the Nigerian government to continue to ensure that the security forces carry out their operations that minimise harm to civilians. Where it still happens, it should be minimal because we know that conducting a military operation is no mathematics. So, even when precautions have been taken, it is still possible to have some civilian casualties. But we are proposing ways of minimising the casualties. When that happens, government should always acknowledge that civilians have been harmed, and do what is required by international best practices. [When civilians come to harm, they should consider] things like issuing a condolence letter to [relatives of] somebody who was accidentally killed during operations; it will go a long way in appeasing the family and the community and assuring them that the government does not support wanton killing of civilians and that it happened by accident. To the armed forces, we appreciate the openness and transparency we are seeing and the inculcation of international best practices in the conduct of military operations. This will endear the Nigerian military to the citizens and our foreign partners and NGOs.

    “If they cannot completely eliminate [killing], they should minimise causing harm. If measures to minimise fail and harm happens, we hold these actors responsible and should admit that civilians have been harmed and make amends to such people that have been harmed.”

  • Onaiyekan to Fed Govt: force won’t end insurgency

    Onaiyekan to Fed Govt: force won’t end insurgency

    •Cleric
    recommends dialogue

    CATHOLIC Bishop of Abuja Arch Diocese, John Onaiyekan yesterday said that the use of military force will not solve the problems posed by Boko Haram insurgents in the Northeast and  Niger Delta Avengers in the Southsouth.

    The cleric, who noted that the application of force to solve such uprising has never worked in any part of the world, urged the Federal Government to dialogue with the groups to restore peace in the country.

    Besides, he urged the government to stop seeing anyone with a link with Boko Haram members as terrorist, but rather to encourage such people to talk to members of the sect.

    Onaiyekan spoke in Abuja on yesterday at the National Inter-faith Dialogue Meeting organised by IPCR and International Dialogue Centre (KAICIID) in collaboration with the Interfaith Media Center (IMC).

    He said: “We have been hearing about Boko Haram; we have been hearing about Niger Delta militants and others and it probably seems to be taken for granted that all we need is better arms, better trained soldiers and we shall solve the problem.

    “I am afraid it has never worked that way anywhere in the world. At some point, after the soldiers have finished their job, human beings must seat around the table and talk. There is nobody that you cannot talk with because everybody is a human being – the child of a mother and maybe the sweetheart of a woman.

    “Our own Boko Haram has not taken 52 years. We are only talking of three, four years. Surely, it is not too late to now move seriously in line of dialogue. That does not mean impunity. That does not mean that nobody cares about atrocities committed.

    “What it does mean is that no matter the atrocities, it is always possible for human beings to see one another as brothers and sisters.”

    Cardinal Onaiyekan urged the government to show more interest, put more effort, resources a bit more and a little bit of interest in getting some dialogue going.

    He said: “The Federal Government should be prepared to dialogue with everybody. Very often, the military reaction or response can prepare the way for a fruitful dialogue, but you must keep dialogue constantly in mind. My fear is that we are not thinking of dialogue now. Things can go hand in hand.

    “And dialogue is not something you do in front of cameras. Generally, it is a bit quiet, in the background; there is not much noise and even when the whole thing is over, people, who were involved in the dialogue, or that prepared the way would not even be seen or heard.

    “People who want to work for peace are not there to score political points or to appear in public. They just want to do the right thing and I think there are many people in Nigeria who are ready to work for peace.

    “If you take Boko Haram for example, I have always said that government should encourage Muslims who want to talk to them to do so instead of seeing everybody who has any link with Boko Haram as terrorist which is what seems to be what I am seeing.

    “It is only people who are closed to them who can talk to them and that needs to be consciously promoted because you can never kill every Boko Haram member and even if you do, it is not in the interest of Nigeria to kill our brothers and sisters. We must find a way of getting back them as brothers and sisters that they are.”

    Earlier in his remarks, Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, condemned the incessant killings of innocent civilians by herdsmen.

    He called on government to wake up to its responsibility and stem this tide of incessant killing of innocent people in their villages.

    “The government must wake up to its responsibility and stem this tide of incessant killing of innocent people in their villages. Fulanis have been killed I know that. Reports have been made in the past couple of years but at the same time too, those who also take revenge do it disproportionately. Whether it is right or wrong, it does not matter.

    “It is wrong to take any single life unjustly. For us Muslims we know that. Therefore we will never agree with the killings of innocent people. That innocent person can be anybody. It can be a Hausa man, a Fulani man, a Yoruba man, an Ibo man, whatever that person is. That is why we should all come together, identify the criminals amongst us and fish them out. That is the only way we can all have peace.

    “But if you only subscribe any murder, any killing to Fulani or Islam, you are not making matters any better. You are making matters worse because we will always preach that,” he stated.

    SERAP: UN intervenes to end harassment of BBOG campaigners

    THE Office of the United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Association may have stepped in to “end the harassment of #BringBackOurGirls protesters and has asked for additional information on the matter,” the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) said yesterday.
    The intervention followed SERAP’s September 9 appeal to the Special Rapporteur, Mr. Maina Kiai, drawing his “attention to continuing harassment and intimidation of the #BringBackOurGirls (BBOG) group by the Federal Government and the impermissible restrictions on the rights of members to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.”
    Executive Director of the group Adetokunbo Mumuni who disclosed the development yesterday day said: “SERAP has been in communication with Marion Mondain, Consultant Equality, Non-Discrimination and Participation Unit UN Special Procedures Branch (SPB) who confirmed the Special Rapporteur’s interest in the matter and asked for additional information.
    “SERAP has worked closely with the BBOG leaders to provide the Office of the Special Rapporteur with the information requested. We are very grateful for the interest shown by the Special Rapporteur in taking action in this matter, as we believe the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and protest is so fundamental that it cannot and should never be denied under any pretext whatsoever.
    “The consideration of the matter by the Special Rapporteur is indeed timely as the BBOG marks later this week the 900th Day of the Chibok girls in Boko Haram’s captivity. We hope that this government will allow the members of the BBOG and other Nigerians who may wish to do so to peacefully exercise their constitutional and internationally recognized right to freedom of assembly.”
    According to Mumuni, the additional information that SERAP, in consultation with the BBOG sent to the Officer of the Special Rapporteur reads in part: “Following the release of the ‘Plea-for-Rescue’ video on 14 August 2016 wherein the Chibok girls, abducted from their school Government Secondary School, Chibok on 14 April 2014 and have been in captivity since then cried out for help; the BBOG movement expected a strong response and decisive action from the federal government.”
    “The police was combat armed and their provocative actions against the protesters could have easily degenerated to a major breakdown of law and order. The Inspector-General of Police was inciting the public against BBOG humanity-based advocacy for abducted school children by impugning the motives of BBOG members. His actions are targeted at maligning and tarnishing the reputation of BBOG Movement in order to weaken BBOG advocacy.