Scary cost of Boko Haram insurgency… 100,000 killed, $9bn damages – Irabor

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor, has said that the Boko Haram insurgency led to the deaths of 100,000 persons, displacement of over two million others and destruction of property worth $9 billion.

Gen Irabor spoke at the closing ceremony of the 2022 Ministerial Performance Review Retreat in Abuja, on Tuesday.

The Defence Chief said insurgency is now restricted to a corner of the territory they previously inhabited even though they have made some inroads into the northwest.

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He also affirmed that the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) received N2.5 trillion in seven years in budgetary provision and have been able to “tremendously” increase internal security operations.

However, he regretted that the amount received is just 35% of AFN requirements and below 0.5% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). While speaking on the AFN operations in the Niger Delta, he said militancy has transmuted to crude oil theft, noting the gaps exist in the National Security Strategy, which he said can be overcome through the initiative of the political leadership, military operations and the attitude of the population.