The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shuaibu, moved to Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, yesterday in response to the presidential directive to the military authorities to crush terrorism in the country.
Forty-eight hours after President Bola Tinubu directed the security agencies to rescue all abducted persons and wipe out all terrorist camps in all parts of the country, General Shuaibu, accompanied by other senior security officials, landed in Maiduguri and immediately proceeded to meet with commanders and heads of formations in the North-East theatre.
The meeting took place at the headquarters of the Northeast Joint Taskforce Operation Hadin Kai, Maimalari cantonment in Maiduguri,
He also met with Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum, with whom he brainstormed on the security situation in the state.
Addressing troops after the closed-door meeting with senior military officers, the COAS emphasised the need for professionalism, discipline and dedication among personnel, urging them to remain committed to their duties.
Shaibu said the visit was to enable him to assess the welfare and operational readiness of the troops deployed to combat insurgency in the region.
He expressed satisfaction with their morale, noting that the personnel remained in high spirits and determined to defend the country.
The COAS urged the troops to sustain their commitment to duty and conduct themselves professionally while carrying out assigned tasks.
He reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to protecting Nigeria’s territorial integrity and supporting efforts to maintain peace and security.
Governor Zulum , during his meeting with the COAS ,asked the Army to launch a major military operation around the shores of Lake Chad with a view to clearing the insurgents terrorizing northern Borno communities.
He said sustained peace in that axis would require a major military offensive against insurgents operating around the Lake Chad basin.
He attributed recent attacks on communities in northern Borno to the presence of insurgents around the lake’s shores and urged the military high command to expedite plans for the proposed operation.
The governor also urged the military to fast-track the establishment of additional formations in strategic locations such as Kareto, Sabongari and Wajiroko, and to intensify efforts to reopen the Maiduguri-Damboa-Biu Road for vehicular movement.
Zulum thanked the Chief of Army Staff for training and deploying 1,000 forest guards to support security operations across the State.
He said the forest guards had completed their training under the Nigerian Army and were currently awaiting deployment to serve with Operation Hadin Kai. NigerianCulture Magazine
The governor gave an assurance that his administration would provide the necessary logistics and other support to facilitate their effective deployment.
Zulum described the training initiative as an important contribution to the state’s security efforts, noting that the government would continue to work with the military to consolidate the gains recorded against insurgency.
He recalled General Shuaibu’s previous assignments in the state, including his service as a brigade commander in Bama and subsequently as Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai.
The governor said Borno had recorded improvements in its security situation under the military leadership’s continued engagement with the state government.
He said the military remained committed to restoring normalcy in the region and creating an environment in which socio-economic activities could thrive.
The Army chief acknowledged the support of the Borno State Government to the security agencies in the state and their personnel.
The Army chief said the military would continue to encourage troops to give their best in tackling insurgency and sustaining peace across the North-East.
He assured the governor that the military would sustain its efforts to achieve its mandate and support the restoration of normal life in communities affected by insurgency.
President Bola Tinubu, at a meeting with Defence Minister Christopher Musa and the Service Chiefs on Thursday, ordered them to rescue all Nigerians held captive by terrorists, bandits and kidnappers.
He said no criminal group should be allowed to maintain a camp anywhere in the country.
Gen. Musa told reporters at the end of the meeting that it was convened to brief the President on the security situation ahead of the 2027 polls.
“The directive from the President is: all of us must go all out to fish out and rescue all those that have been abducted, kidnapped, wherever they are,” he said.
“There shouldn’t be any camp of any terrorists or bandits anywhere in Nigeria,” he added.
