The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, says the
Boko Haram terrorists are being contained with the recent renewed joint the military offensive against them in Northern Borno and border areas.
Buratai said the offensive had pushed them to the remote
Islands on the Lake Chad basin.
Represented by Maj.-Gen. Lamidi Adeosun, the Chief of Training and
Operations, the chief of army staff disclosed this in an interview with newsmen
at Monguno in Borno North after celebrating the Easter with troops.
He said the containment of the terrorists was made possible
by joint operations by troops of the Lake Chad Basin countries, including the
Multinational Joint Task Force – MNJTF.
“You will discover that the Boko Haram terrorists are now
lurking around the borders, especially the dangerous and inaccessible areas of
the Tumbun and Islands (of Lake Chad).’’
“And the best way to handle them is to have the concentration of
forces,’’ he said.
On the ongoing joint
operations between Nigerian and Chadian troops in Northern Borno, Buratai said
that the coming of the Chadians had given a boost to troops and equipment
concentration in the area.
He said that this was necessary to route the terrorists from
their hiding places in the Islands.
Earlier, while addressing troops of Sector 3 of the
Operation Lafiya Dole, Buratai expressed satisfaction that they had turned the
tide against the terrorists, adding that it was no longer business for them as
usual.
“I urge you not to relent; you must continue to heat the
iron now that our iron is very, very red so that we can beat the iron to the
shape that we all like.
“You must maintain
the momentum; we must never ever allow the reverse to be the case again. Now
that we are moving, we must continue to move.
“Now, we are pursuing, we must continue to pursue, we are on
the offensive, we should never withdraw to a defensive position.
“You must remain bold
and continue to do all that it takes to take the power, life and breath out of
Boko Haram,’’ the army chief charged the troops.
Buratai also visited the Chadian troops deployed alongside
their Nigerian counterparts for a joint operation at Cross Kauwa, the
Headquarters of Sector 2 of Operation Lafiya Dole.
In an address, he commended them for their zeal, courage and
commitment, saying that they were not only working for the safety of Nigeria
and their country, but humanity.
He described the Chadian troops as brave soldiers, and
assured them that their requirement in terms of logistics would be provided.
While he prayed for the repose of the soul of personnel among
them that had paid the supreme sacrifice, he also prayed for quick recovery of
those wounded in action.
Col. Bokit Ali Dijar, the Commander of Chadian troops in the sector, expressed happiness that countries in the Lake Chad basin were working
in unity to tackle the Boko Haram menace which he described as a common enemy.
Ali Dijar thanked Buratai for the visit, saying that they
were honoured by the gesture.
He also lauded the Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole,
Maj.-Gen. Benson Akinroluyo and Brig.-Gen. O.T. Akinjobi, the Commander Sector
3, for always meeting their request.
On April 18, troops of the MNJTF killed 39 Boko terrorists,
captured much equipment from them as they attempted to attack military position
at Cross Kauwa.
Cross Kauwa is located in Kukawa Local Government Area of
Borno.
Between December 2018 and January 2019 a faction of Boko
Haram led by Al Barnawi and Islamic State West African Province or ISWAP
infiltrated Baga and surrounding towns, including Cross Kauwa and attacked
military positions.
They were, however, pushed out by sustained ground and air
offensives after a few days.
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