Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai has insisted that insurgent group Boko Haram has been defeated despite pockets of suicide bombings and attacks on communities in the North East.
Buratai who spoke this during a telephonic press conference organised by the United States Mission, Nigeria to wrap up the African Land Forces Summit, 2018 organised in conjunction with the Acting Commander, US Army Africa, Gen. Eugene LeBoeuf, also said plans are on to reintegrate Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Northern Borno back to their communities.
He said the IDPs would be returned home and protected by the military for four to five months.
He said: “First, look at where we are coming from, where we are and where we are going to. Boko Haram as a formidable force used to move around freely across the country.
“Before 2015, they had reached Abuja, Lokoja, Sokoto, Kano, Kaduna, Jos, Bauchi and virtually across many parts of the country especially the northern and central parts.
“But since 2016, there was no major attack outside the North-East (NE). In 2017, there was no major attack in the NE. In this context, you will agree with me that Boko Haram has been defeated.
“Even within the NE, where we have suicide bombings and few isolated cases. Note that they use propaganda as one of their tactics.
“If you are in Maiduguri or any part of the Northeast, you will know Boko Haram has been defeated.
Boko Haram is restricted between very few isolated areas.
“They have been moving from one point to another and we have continued to pursue them. We were not in Sambisa forest about a year or two ago but today we are firmly rooted in the Sambisa forest.
“Along the border areas we have some attacks where they cross over from Cameroon to attack. With the combined efforts of all our forces, we are working together to get them contained.
“As far as I am concerned, the narrative is that Boko Haram has been defeated. We have gone further than that. Many of the residents have started moving back to their communities.
“The latest one is in Bama Local Government of Borno. The movement is still ongoing. Very soon people will return to all those areas where they were displaced and start their lives again.
“We have to apply all the necessary means available to provide essential amentities, like schools, hospital for them to be able to move around.
“The insurgents have not been able to hold any ground or move freely like before. Do not be carried away by the propaganda of the insurgents. People hardly pay attention to the efforts security forces are making.
“The whole of Nigerian Army is moving to Northern Borno State to bring back those who left and we would stay with them in the next four five months.”
Credit Thisday