It is a good option – Diya

[Mirror]

Lt. Gen. Oladipo Diya (rtd), former Chief of General Staff of the Gen. Sani Abacha-led regime spoke with TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE. Excerpts:

What is your take on the recent declaration of state of emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states by President Goodluck Jonathan as part of the measures to curb the Boko Haram insurgency?

The state of emergency is an option. Whether that option is right or wrong, we need the result. But from what we have read on the pages of newspapers and what we have seen on television, I believe that it is a good option that he has taken and I believe in that decision.

But some people believe that there is no difference between what obtained before the declaration of the state of emergency and after?

It is too early to say that. How old is the state of the emergency? How many days is the state of emergency now? Let us be patient. One person has to be the President and one person has to take that decision and at the end of the day anything that we see, bad or good, the whole things is stops at his office. So let us give him a chance. Declaring of the state of emergency is an option.

But didn't it come much later than expected?

Decisions are not hurriedly taken. You have to consider and appreciate all the intelligence reports that come to you. It is when you come to a conclusion; that is the time to take decision. He has taken that decision. It is left for the President to take the decision and he has taken it. Let us wait for what will come out of the decision taking by the President. It is too early now to judge him. The state of emergency is in order

National Mirror