By Sadiq Umar – Nigeria’s acting President, Yemi Osinbajo has directed the immediate relocation of the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai and Chief of Air Staff, Sadique Abubakar, to Maiduguri, Borno state capital in a bid to stem the rising attacks by the Boko Haram insurgents.
This directive was handed down to the military chiefs during an emergency meeting with some service chiefs at the State House, Abuja on Thursday.
Mr. Osinbajo said there was a need for the two chiefs relocate to the command control centre in Maiduguri to put an end to the increasing spate of insurgency attacks.
The Boko Haram insurgents had in recent time stepped up attacks on location in Borno State especially the University of Maiduguri where it has detonated suicide bombs.
The Minister of Defence, Dan-Ali who spoke to journalists at the end of the meeting said the military chiefs have agreed to move to the locations immediately.
“We just finished a meeting with the acting president and the three service chiefs. We agreed that they should move back to the command centre again and see what are the things happening there,” he said.
Adding: “We have also agreed that we should get more surveillance devices, cameras that will be able to see distant attackers coming to the position of our troops.
“Also, the period of the raining season is a difficult moment for us. We cannot dominate the environment like what we do during the dry season but efforts are geared towards regaining our areas. All these ambushes that are happening would be stopped.”
Boko Haram has increased the spate of attacks since Mr. Buratai ordered the capture Abubakar Shekau, leader of the sect, within 40 days.
On Tuesday, the sect killed soldiers, members of the civilian joint task force and oil experts in Magmueri local government area of Borno.
Others in attendance at the Thursday meeting includes: Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali,; Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel Olonisakin, and Chief of Naval Staff, Ekwe Ite-Ibas.
