Terrorism: Ihejirika meets top military commanders

As the north east and other targeted    like  schools  continue to face attack from the Boko Haram insurgents, the  Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Azubuike Ihejirika, has met with top military commanders to 

reappraise the counter terrorism and counter insurgency efforts so far.

Director, Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Ibrahim Attahiru, who disclosed this on Friday at  a press briefing, however, assured that 7 Division Nigerian Army which became operational on August 22, 2013 has continued to conduct terrorism and counter insurgency operations to meet the warfare challenges.

“As apart of routine review, the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Azubuike Ihejirika has just concluded a meeting with top military commanders from all major formations of the Nigerian  Army.

“The purpose of the meeting was to re-appraise the counter terrorism and counter insurgency efforts in the North East with a view to making future plans,”  he said.

On whether the sect kingpin, Shekau was dead or alive, he said that investigations were still ongoing to authenticate the truth.

He also spoke on the unprovoked attacks by the insurgents in the past few weeks.

“In the last few weeks, there were incidences of Boko Haram terrorists unprovoked, malicious attack and wanton destruction of lives and property in Benisheikh, Buni-yadi and Gujba.

“The Nigerian  Army  has since commenced offensive operations aimed at apprehending the insurgents involved in these dastardly acts. Several insurgents’ camps have been effectively neutralised,” Attahiru noted even as he denied the insinuations that the Nigerian Army may not be at the top of the ongoing warfare.

While acknowledging that  the  Nigerian Army  has been working with other security agencies to successfully fight the insurgencey, he called on the local communities to always provide information about suspicious movement of people in their localities.

“Let me appeal to local residents in the affected states to promptly report the presence of insurgents in their localities by contacting the nearest military or police locations,” he said.