Buhari: No haste in withdrawal of military from troubled communities

President Muhammadu Buhari has reassured Nigerians that withdrawal of the military from areas where peace had been restored will not be done in a manner that will expose communities to more risks of attacks.

President Buhari gave the assurance yesterday following concerns and appeals from governors and community leaders over the proposed withdrawal.

The president, in a statement issued by his media aide Garba Shehu said the withdraw will be gradual and carefully planned, not abrupt or arbitrary to jeopardise the success already recorded by the military.

Buhari said the administration would not abandon citizens in need of protection.

He urged Nigerians, especially public affairs analysts, to carefully study the statement following a security council meeting with service chiefs that the withdrawal of troops will be done after an “assessment” to determine areas where peace had returned to enable civil authorities assume full control.

Air Force helicopters destroy terrorist logistics facility in Borno

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) yesterday said its Air Task Force (ATF) of “Operation Lafiya Dole” has destroyed a Boko Haram Terrorists logistics facility at Gujeri in the Sambisa Forest area of Borno State.

The spokesman of the Air Force, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola in a statement said this was achieved in nighttime airstrikes executed on 31 December 2019 after series of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions.

He said the ISR missions identified some makeshift structures under some trees in the settlement that were being used by the terrorists to store fuel and other items for the maintenance of their vehicles.

He said, “Accordingly, the ATF dispatched its combat helicopters to attack the location recording devastating hits in the target area resulting in the destruction of the storage facilities as well as other structures in the camp.”

He added that the NAF, operating in concert with surface forces, will sustain its efforts to completely destroy all remnants of the terrorists in the Northeast.