…Urges Nigerians to be vigilante
Following the present onslaught against members of the Boko Haram sect by the military in the Sambisa forest, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, has said a suspected fleeing Boko Haram member was arrested last Thursday in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State by soldiers.
The army chief said this on Monday during his visit to the troops of 145 Battalion in Damasak, Borno State, to mark the reopening of the Maiduguri-Gubio-Damasak Road.
Buratai had on Sunday joined the Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, to reopen the Maiduguri-Monguno-Baga and Maiduguri-Gubio-Damasak roads which had been closed since 2013 due to Boko Haram activities.
Buratai stressed that the troops would not rest on their oars until other fleeing terrorists from the North-East geopolitical zone were apprehended.
Addressing the troops, Buratai said: “I urge you not to relent until all the terrorists, who had fought Nigeria since 2009, are arrested. We must maintain the momentum of the operation. We must pursue the terrorists wherever they are. We must never allow them to regroup.
“For instance, a Boko Haram member was arrested in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State on Thursday. Despite the takeover of the terrorists’ Camp Zero in the Sambisa Forest, we have no time to waste. The seven-year fight against the Boko Haram terrorists was quite sober, and a number of officers lost their lives in the war. I pray for the repose of their souls. We vow to fight the remnants’ of the terrorists.”
To further boost the morale of the troops, President Muhammadu Buhari sent in congratulatory messages assuring the troops of the Federal Government’s support.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Minister of Information and Culture, Mohammed, appealed to Nigerians to continue to support the troops as they clear the remnants of the fleeing terrorists.
The minister also called for increased vigilance among Nigerians, noting that the Boko Haram escapees were seeking to integrate themselves into the society.
“We urge Nigerians to keep our gallant and victorious troops in their prayers, and to also imbibe the mantra of ‘if you see something, say something’ as a way of ensuring that no escaped terrorist is able to wreak havoc in their communities. It is also important to know that now that they have been dispossessed of their fortress, the Boko Haram escapees will intensify their cowardly attacks on vulnerable targets if only to maintain an illusion of terror. But there should be no panic because the worst is over,’’ Mohammed said.