Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno state, has inaugurated Civilian JTF
mobile team fight Boko Haram insurgency in the state.
Zulum also flags off the fourth batch of 86 declared wanted Boko Haram
terrorists, with about 66.6% of them are either killed or arrested by
Army.
While announcing new Civilian JTF mobile team at Chabbal Super Camp;
Wednesday, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai disclosed
that; “These volunteers have knowledge of Borno state terrains,
including all members of Boko Haram terrorists across the state.
He said members of Civilian JTF, will be identifying terrorists’
enclaves, as they move from one position to another.
“It’s very important that we must get them to play that important role
in identifying the terrorists,” he said.
He said as the Army collaborates with Civilian JTF, the
counter-insurgency operation should not be left to military alone.
According to him, its success does not fully lie with the military,
but with civilian authorities, as well as the volunteers that are
fighting the insurgents.
He thanked the Governor for releasing “courageous, fearless and
determined” patriots that understood the vision of returning
Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to communities.
He said that volunteers along with troops and other security agencies,
will work towards returning Internally Displaced Persons IDPs to their
ancestral homes.
According to him, the Civilian JTF will remain in all the liberated
communities to defend IDP returnees.
On rise of Civilian JTF, he said: “At the height of Boko Haram
insurgency in 2013 and 2014, there are this civilians, comprising
youths in Maiduguri metropolis decided that; “enough is enough.”
“They took up arms against the Boko Haram terrorists and started
chasing them from house to house.
“That is how the terrorists were chased out of Maiduguri metropolis
and other major towns of Borno into Sambisa Forest and other bushes.
This what kick starts our Civilian JTF.”
He said since then, they have been playing very important role to see
that the insurgents are contained and dealt with and not relented.
Zulum in his brief remarks, after yesterday’s inauguration, said that
the state government will continue to support the military.
The support, according to him, was to complement efforts of troops to
restore peace in the state and Northeast.
After donating another 100 patrol motorcycles to Civilian JTF team, he
said: “I call on the people to support and cooperate with the military
and other security agencies to end this madness of insurgents.”
