Buratai to troops: December decisive

 Leads final onslaught on insurgents

By Musa Umar Bologi
Abuja

Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, has vowed that the army must clear the remnants of Boko Haram insurgents in the North-east this month, as he intended to return every troop to the barracks by 2017.
In a goodwill message he sent to troops in the frontline in the North-east, titled: “No time to waste,” Buratai said the army must take the decision to either succeed in clearing the remnant of the insurgents or “continue to live in perpetual circle of their atrocities in the North-east.”
He said:  “I wish to make this call to action and wake up call to you all and to emphasise that we must immediately begin to embark on the final aggressive action and comprehensive sweep of the operational theatre with a view to ending the operation on a very high note. In this regard, no stone should be left unturned. I, therefore, call on all officers and soldiers to buckle up and ensure that remnants of Boko Haram terrorists are completely cleared.
“I hope to be with you sometime this month to motivate and positively influence the ongoing operations. This is with a view to having a colourful end of year and peaceful Yuletide in the North-east and indeed Nigeria. I urge all commanders to plan and embark on effective patrols, raids, ambushes and deliberate attacks in conjunction with other services, especially the Nigerian Air Force and Nigerian Navy, to rescue all those abducted by the terrorists.”

The army boss urged the troops to treat all captured and surrendered Boko Haram terrorists “humanely and fairly” in accordance with the provisions of International Humanitarian Law and Laws of Armed Conflict, adding that troops must also be prepared to enter all fortresses and enclaves of the insurgents to completely flush them out and dominate the areas to ensure they are not reoccupied.
“I wish to reiterate that December is a month of decision. It is either we succeed in clearing the remnants of Boko Haram terrorists or we continue to live in perpetual circle of their atrocities in the North-east.
“I hereby want to reassure all troops that I intend to return everybody back to Barracks in 2017 only leaving behind a strong, highly mobile, effective and motivated force that will continue to do the good work that we have already started. In this regard, we shall also bring reassurances to the populace as normalcy finally returns to the area.”
Buratai urged the troops to remain focused, disciplined, loyal, dedicated and patriotic to their duties and to President Muhammadu Buhari.