The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai has reiterated the military’s determination to end the six-year Boko Haram insurgency in the country by December.
Buratai reiterated the commitment during a routine operational visit to frontline troops in some parts of the Northeast. “I want to reassure Nigerians that Nigerian Army is ever determined to succeed in meeting up with the set deadline of defeating Boko Haram terrorists by the end of this year,’’ it said.
Col. Sani Usman, acting Director of Army Public Relations, said in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday that Buratai had defied the public holidays to embark on operational and morale-boosting trips to troops under 3 Division and 7 Division areas of responsibility.
Usman said the Army chief’s first called at the Headquarters, 33 Artillery Brigade, Shadawanka Barracks, Bauchi, where he addressed troops on the on-going operations.
Subsequently, he visited 301 Artillery Regiment, Gombe and Biu where he visited two units: 231 Tank Battalion and 331 Artillery Regiment in Aboge Largema Military Cantonment.
Buratai advised troops to treat the surrendered Boko Haram insurgents humanely in line with international humanitarian laws and the Nigerian Army Code of Conduct.
The Army chief also decorated newly promoted officers in the frontline with their new ranks and paid a courtesy visit to the Emir of Biu, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Umar Aliyu, at his palace.
He was accompanied on the visit by some Principal Staff Officers at Army Headquarters and the General Officer Commanding 3 Division, Maj.-Gen. H.A. Umaru and other Commanders.
The Chief of Army Staff has since assumption of office embarked on several visits to troops in the frontline as morale boosters.