The Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai has reassured Nigerians that December deadline to end activities of Boko Haram is feasible because the insurgents are no longer controlling territories in the North-East.
Lieutenant General Buratai, who spoke during a familiarization visit to Officers and Soldiers of the 3rd Armoured Division at the Maxwell Khobe Cantonment at Rukuba, Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State, also announced that there are more professional soldiers on ground to combat the insurgents.
He said “It is not true that Boko Haram is still controlling territories in the North-East, no Boko Haram is holding any territory. Have you heard them (Boko Haram) making any claim of recent?
“We are more determined and we have more professional soldiers on the ground. We have been trained and equipped and ready to face the challenges posed by them.
“We will make sure that we meet up with the deadline. We still have November and December.”
He added that the “our strategy and operational plans have continued to evolve with the daily challenges that we have.”
Recall that last week, there were reports that the federal government has hired South African mercenaries to fight the insurgents in order to meet December deadline. Burutai’s reference to ‘professional soldiers’ might be affirming those claims.
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