The Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai has said that troops are in full control of Guzamala council in Borno state; after tactful withdrawals and return to occupy Gudumbali. Control of council headquarters, was effected a day after Friday, September 7, Boko Haram attack with no losses of lives. Buratai disclosed this on Tuesday in Gudumbali, while addressing over 1,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) at the torched council headquarters. He said the army has a strategic importance of Guzamala to be protected from insurgents and in defense of territorial integrity of the country. “We will not allow such occurrence to happen again in any border areas of this nation. We will do our best so that people’s lives and property are fully protected against Boko Haram insurgents and other external aggressors. “My presence here excited many residents with high confidence that hailed our troops since the attack of last Friday. “Even though some residents fled, because of fair and panic, most of the returning IDPs remained in their houses. Their ward head, Muhammadu Bukar told me in Kanuri that none of the residents were killed in the attack.” He said the civil authorities have a role to play in protecting the lives of people. He said as the army continues to reorganize its strategies, civil authorities should move into the liberated communities, so that the troops could further move into border front lines of Lake Chad Region, including Niger and Cameroon. Bukar, while hailing the presence of Buratai and troops in Gudumbali, he said the market was closed for two weeks. According to him, there were incessant cattle rustling, while troops prevent people from going to farm. He explained that the rustled cattle are taken to Monguno, 56 kilometres east of Gudumbali for the insurgents to raise funds. Abubakar Mohammed, a resident also told The Guardian that Armkuma Fulani people alerted the troops last Friday morning; before the insurgents struck at 5.30pm.
