The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai, has said the Army turned the tide against the activities of Boko Haram terrorists shortly after he was made the nation’s Army chief.
He said his emergence led to an immediate degrading of the terrorists’ capabilities.
Buratai noted that at the time he took over the baton of leadership in the Army, troops’ morale, especially those in the battlefield, was low, a situation he said paved the way for the terrorists to gain advantage over the troops.
Buratai, who also recalled that 14 local government areas in the North-East of Borno were already under the Command of the terrorists when he assumed office, said his decision to have a professionally-responsive Nigerian Army in the discharge of its constitutional roles, added great value to Army’s war against the insurgents.
The Army chief spoke in Abuja yesterday, in his opening remark at a retreat for past commanders of the ongoing counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations in the North-East.
“The situation was so bad when I was appointed Chief of Army Staff in June 2015, that about 14 local government areas in Borno State were under the full control of Boko Haram terrorists.
“The need to swiftly respond to this challenge informed the fashioning of my mission statement which is ‘to have a professionally-responsive Army in the discharge of its constitutional roles.
“I am glad to say that commanders have all keyed in to this vision, with the resultant effect of a change in battle tide against the Boko Haram terrorists, which led to the successful degradation of their military capability to hold any portion of the Nigerian territory,” he added.
