Terrorism is complex warfare, requires joint effort – Buratai


The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, has again described insurgency as a complex phenomenon that required the efforts of all to contain and should not be left for security agencies alone. 


Declaring open the Infantry Corp Conference 2019 on Tuesday at the Ihejirika Auditorium, Jaji Military Cantonment, the Army boss said, Nigerian Armed Forces had done its best and would continue to protect the territorial integrity of Nigeria but requires the contribution of the civil populace and all Nigerians.


According to him, the Nigerian Army, with the efforts of the infantry corps and support from other corps and other security arms have been able to deal decisively with Boko Haram insurgents in the North Eastern part of the country.
“Today, we have the full initiative and in collaboration with other sisters agencies, we are pushing hard to ensure that we finally sanitised the northern Borno and our borders axis with Niger, Chad and Cameroon. We know they have plans but we are also planning to counter them and we will deploy maximum intelligence to capture those that have ran to the hinterland.


“Terrorism is a complex warfare, which need the involvement of every individual in the country, which if we are able to do, will contain the criminals. It should not be left for the security personnel or governments at all levels, or the traditional rulers, it is a joint responsibility and we are all stakeholders. 


“These criminals are not coming from the blues. They live among us in the society. They go to the markets and buy foodstuffs just like the rest of us. Some of them go to naming and marriage ceremonies and so on. It is our responsibility to make everybody aware, that we all have a role to play in bringing the activities of these criminal elements to an end,’ he reiterated. 
The Guest Speaker, Major General Alexander Mshelbwala (retd) gave a mentoring talk on officers and men of the Infantry Corps buckling up for the uncharted tomorrow. 


The Commander, Infantry Corps, Major General Stevenson Olabanji, in his welcome address said, despite the security challenges the country is faced with, the Nigerian Army under Tukur Buratai, has received a boost in terms of infrastructural and human development in all its formations across the country, which has made it possible to deal decisively with Boko Harram terrorists and other insurgents. 


He said that the gathering present opportunity for the infantry to interact and brainstorm on contemporary issues affecting the nation in general and the Army in particular.


“The nation is currently grappling with a lot of security challenges with scourge of tourism in the North East being the most prominent. The Infantry Corps has been at the vanguard of Nigerian Army’s efforts in combating these multi pronged threats and in the process making high demands on our personnel, equipment and other materials,” he said


The infantry corps, also known as “foot soldiers” is the largest formation in Nigerian Army. 

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