Of Minimah, troops and insurgency

The Nigerian Army has been confronted with the challenge of tackling the Boko Haram insurgency in states in the North East region, having to adapt to unconventional combat in flushing the renegades. Given the itinerant nature of the rebels who have no clear battle grounds but carry out a hit-and-run type of attacks, it was a bit herculean for the soldiers to track them down. However, the Army seemed to have got its bearing by resorting to intelligence and collaboration with troops of neighbouring countries of Chad, Cameroon and Niger.

The Chief of Army Staff, (COAS) Lt. Gen. Kenneth Minimah has shown he is truly a battle-ready officer looking at the feat the army under his leadership achieved within a short period since they were able to throw the insurgents to the dungeon shortly before the 2015 general elections. After a serious survey of events unfolding within the three states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe, Minimah and his security team discovered that it will be dangerous to go ahead with the 2015 general elections on the earlier scheduled dates of February 14 and 28, the Army went back to the drawing board to re-strategise and the outcome, as we saw, was violence-free elections in most of the states of the country..

Before the elections, troops succeeded in routing terrorists from Bama in Borno state. Troops were also able to route the insurgents from Goniri, the last major stronghold of the terrorists operating in Yobe state and took over the town completely after days of manoeuvre. Goniri town is in same LGA with Buni Yadi, where a bomb-making facility was discovered in the course of cordon and search recently.

This completes the clearing of Gujba, one of the two LGA occupied by the terrorists in Yobe state. The other Local Government, Gulani, was also finally cleared before the elections. This makes Yobe the second to be successfully cleared among the three state slated for the mission to dislodge terrorists bases.

With all the feats achieved by troops, military authority gave the general public assurance that their security is guaranteed within the law, as it is working in conjunction with other security agencies to ensure safety of lives and properties of all Nigerians before, during and after election. To this end, the Nigerian Army under Minimah directed all formations and units to remain vigilant and act within the law to prevent any attempt to endanger the lives of Nigerians wherever they may reside.

All Nigerian Army personnel on election duties were advised to discharge their duties professionally and within the confines of the Code of Conduct for military personnel on election duties. This is in addition to a note of warning to officers and men of the Army that military must at all times subject itself to civil authority and that the era of military rule has gone forever. The troops need to consolidate on these feats.

Isaac Alexander, Wuse, Abuja.