The Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Major-Gen. Olusegun Adeniyi, has condemned the manner the Governor made some political statements against the Nigerian Army operations, despite their efforts and sacrifices in providing security to the state and northeast region.
Major General Adeniyi stated this at a consultative meeting with a 16-man led Borno elders under the leadership of former governor, Alhaji Asheik Jarma at the Officers Mess, Maimalari Cantonment, while soliciting the support and cooperation of Borno people, particularly, Borno elders, in the execution of the ongoing military operations in the region.
General Olusegun Adeniyi said the Nigerian army is equally a stakeholder in the Nigerian project irrespective of the fact that the Army is in uniform.
“The Nigerian Army also have feelings and concerns over what is happening and we are hoping that with the support and cooperation of the people of Borno and their elders as well as all religious and ethnic organisations, we will be able to fight the insurgency to its logical end”.
The theatre commander, who expressed profound appreciation to the elders, stressed that as experienced people who have passed different stages of life and played significant roles in the society, he urged them to continue to pray for peace, unity and stability of the state, the region and the country at large.
“There is a change in the mode or system of operations which was not disclosed to the people earlier where the military decided not to continue to be in the trenches and wait till boko haram insurgents come to attack them.
“Today we have a new strategy like the Americans, we are on mobility. Soldiers will now be on wheel patrolling, moving from one place to the other, village to village, towns to towns on daily surveillance for 24 hours.
“While other super force are tracing the hideouts of the Boko Haram insurgents on intelligence to response to distress calls and emergencies apart from the response team”. He said
He, therefore, appealed to the people to exercise restraint and be patient with the Nigerian Army as it restrategizes its operations, describing, the alleged withdrawal of soldiers in some town where Boko Haram attacked recently as false and unfounded.
While responding on behalf of the people of Borno State, former executive governor of the state, Alhaji Asheik Jarma, assured the theatre commander of the full support of Borno elders in the execution of their operations.
