In a renewed drive to rout terrorists from the North-east and bring the insurgency war to an end, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Maj. Gen. Farouk Yahaya, at the weekend, charged troops in the Theatre of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) to intensified efforts at dislodging ISWAP and Boko Haram terrorists from the region.

The army chief, who is on his maiden operational tour of the North-east, had in an earlier tour of Yobe State on Friday ordered troops of Sector 2 Joint Task Force North-east Operation Hadin Kai to destroy all Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) enclaves in their various locations.

He directed them to use their wealth of experience and lessons learnt from the series of operations conducted to “destroy the remnants of marauding terrorists within their various locations.”

He assured them of improved welfare and a new reward system for troops who perform gallantly in any operation.
A statement yesterday by the Director, Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, said the army chief gave the charge while addressing troops of Sector 3 Operation Hadin Kai/Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), Monguno, Borno State.

Yahaya, who lauded the level of discipline and commitment to duty exhibited by troops of the sector, however, admonished them to be apolitical, decisive and circumspect in all their operational engagements.
He “tasked both officers and soldiers of the sector to conduct decisive offensive operations against the terrorist groups marauding in the theatre of operation”.

He charged them to “sustain the aggressive tempo of the operations and keep the flag flying, in order to bring the insurgency to an end in the north-east”.

The COAS was accompanied during the tour by the Chief of Operations (Army) Major General Ibrahim Yusuf, Theatre Commander Operation Hadin Kai, Major General Christopher Musa, the Provost Marshal (Army) Major General Robert Aiyenigba, Chief of Military Intelligence (Army) Brigadier General Danladi Salihu, Maritime Component Commander OPHK, Commodore Richard Shammah, among other principal staff officers.

The army chief, had, during his recent visit to the Shehu of Borno, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai El-kanemi, and members of Borno Emirate in his palace in Maiduguri, said traditional institutions were critical to the success of the ongoing operation to end Boko Haram insurgency and terrorism in the North-east.

Yahaya had said he was pleased to be at the Shehu’s palace with principal staff officers from the army headquarters to pay respects and homage to the revered traditional ruler.

He said he arrived at the state earlier in the day on an operational visit to the theatre and felt it was an honour to visit the Shehu as a father, leader not only in Borno but also in the country, to receive a royal blessing for the task ahead of him.

He appreciated the support of the royal father and the entire Emirate even while he was in the state as the Theatre Commander, Operation Hadin Kai before his appointment as the 22nd Chief of the Army Staff.

He noted the support of the royal father and the emirate had led to some of the successes recorded in the operations against the terrorists.

He solicited more support.
The Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai El-kanemi, had, in his remarks, commended the military for the gradual return of peace to the state and North-east.

He said 17 of the 27 local government areas previously occupied by Boko Haram terrorists some years ago were recaptured and civil authority restored.
He urged the COAS not to be deterred and pledged the support of the emirate to the army leadership and military generally.