Buratai to troops: you’ve what it takes to flush out Boko Haram

TROOPS involved in the anti-Boko Haram battle in the Northeast have the wherewithal to defeat insurgents, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai has said.

He directed the troops to flush out the remnants of Boko Haram fighters from their hideout.

The COAS said that troops deployed in the northeast have what it takes in terms of equipment and logistics to wipe out terrorists within the shortest period.

Lt.-Gen Buratai gave the directive while addressing Armed Forces Special Forces Battlion at the weekend in Borno State.

Army Spokesman Brig.-Gen Sani Usman said in a statement that Buratai urged the troops to fill in the observed gaps as they were deployed for that purpose and should therefore make the difference in the fight against terrorism.

The COAS was quoted as saying that the troops have all it takes to do the job and they should work together as a team, adding that the Nigerian Armed Forces have done a great job in the Northeast in terms of degrading the Boko Haram terrorists.

The attained success must be consolidated as they are adequately equipped, trained and with superior tactics than the terrorists, Gen. Buratai was quoted as saying.

He implored the troops to dominate everywhere in the theatre and deny the terrorists freedom of action and movement.

Brig.-Gen Usman said that the COAS later had private durbar with the troops in which they bared their minds on various issues, while the Army Chief provided answers to their enquiries.

The spokesman said: “The COAS also paid similar visit to Army Headquarters Strike Group where he had one-on-one interaction with them. Later in the evening he had dinner with the troops.

“The visit to the troops by the Chief of Army Staff is coming at the end of the Chief of Army Staff’s annual conference 2018 which took place in Maiduguri from 28-30th November 2018.”

Also at the weekend, the COAS listed the dangers of fake news. He said the trend not only poses threat to national security, but makes the ongoing counter-terrorism operation in the Northeast more difficult.

Condemning those behind fake news, Gen. Buratai  urged Nigerians to be patriotic and wary of false information.

He said: “It is inimical to national security; it is inimical to the morale of the troops and by and large, it is one of the demoralising factors making the counter insurgency operation more difficult.’’

He stated that terrorists survive on propaganda to get attention and spread their ideology as well as to create fear and the impression that they were “untouchable, invincible or have capacity that they do not possess.’’

“Nigerians must be very careful not to fall to their antics by condemning their actions and propaganda, and support the efforts of the military, especially the Nigerian army.

According to the COAS, the troops deployed to fight the terrorists, bears the consequences of the fake news.

Eight killed as Boko Haram launches fresh attack on military base

SUSPECTED Boko Haram insurgents on Saturday   night launched a daring attack on a military base located at Buni Gari, Yobe State.

Buni Gari is less than five kilometres from the 27 Task Force Brigade of the Nigeria Army located in Buni Yadi, about 50 kilometres from Damaturu, the state capital.

A reliable security source claimed that six Boko Haram fighters and two soldiers were killed in the in the cross-fire between insurgents and troops.

“We lost two soldiers but we killed six of the bastards,” the source said.

A resident, who identified himself as Babagana, said they fled their homes after sounds of sporadic gunshots boomed from the military base located in the southeast of the town.

Babagana also informed that most of the residents that ran out of the town have returned with the army taking full charge of the area.

“There was serious reinforcement from the 27 Task Force Brigade therefore the terrorists couldn’t make any impact,” a soldier informed.

The Nation recalled that the insurgents lunched a similar attack on a military location in the same axis in Katarko on November 7.

The rampaging Boko Haram fighters set the military base ablaze and also part of the village.