IBRAHIM ATTAHIRU, Major General, and Nigeria’s new Chief of Army Staff, said his mission is to end insurgency and restore normalcy to Nigeria’s north-east theater of war, and the entire country. He did not give specific time frame. But stated that the army would partner Cameroonian and Chadian solders to end insurgency; in what seems a new approach in prosecuting the war.
Addressing troops at the Army Supercamp One, Ngamdu, in Yobe State, Attahiru said: “The successes recorded recently by Operation Tura Takaibango shall be cashed in to bring an end to the insurgency. This war will be brought to an end soon. We shall do this in tandem with the forces from the Republic of Cameroon. We shall be bringing in the Chadians, to ensure the annihilation of the insurgents in the North-East soonest”.
Acknowledging the challenges encountered by the troops, the new COAS, said they were surmountable, and would be addressed with military effectiveness. His words: “I have been briefed by your commanders about the lack of fighting equipment. I know of the lack of kits too. We are making tremendous efforts to get your boots, uniforms and protective gears in a couple of weeks”.
And added: “I know the issue of overstay in the mission area has been a major problem. We will not do that almost immediately, but I can assure you that in a matter of months, we shall have a standard rotation plan that most of you will have to leave the theater of operations to be replaced by other soldiers to continue with the war. I see this war ending soon”.
Operational deficits, encountered by the troops, the COAS said, would catered for. The army would provide support arms and logistics to the soldiers in order to fight efficiently. He charged the troops to put greater efforts in the fight against Boko Haram fighters, to enhance the successes already recorded.
Attahiru said he was putting together for the troops, “command philosophy” to direct the operations of the army in the counter insurgency war, which would made available to them.
