Jutha Gupah, Maiduguri
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Farouk Yahaya, has tasked troops to sustain the tempo of ridding off terrorists from Borno state and the Northeast region.
According to him, troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) should redouble their efforts in ridding out the remnants of terrorists in Sambisa Forest and the Lake Chad region.
Yahaya gave the task, over the weekend (Sunday), at a luncheon to celebrate Christmas with the wounded soldiers, journalists and security agencies at the Maimalari Cantonment, Maiduguri, Borno state.
“The Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists have been decimated from the region,” he said.
Yahaya, who had lunch along with the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Isiaka Oladayo Amao, further disclosed: “I commend you for reaching a turning point of the counter-insurgency operation in the region.
“What we just needed is a little push to completely defeat the terrorists in the country.”
He noted that part of his visit to the Theatre command was to meet soldiers that were wounded in action in various operations while fighting insurgency.Yahaya also honored and awarded troops that distinguished themselves in various fields of operation and the media houses including The Guardian for being in the frontlines in reporting professionally on the counter-insurgency operations.
He said: “The media has a variety of news outlets to receive the 2022 awards from the Joint Task Force (Northeast) under OPHK.”
He added that this was in recognition of their respective selfless service and commitment to the journalism profession.The media outfits were today (Sunday) recognized for the display of professionalism in counter-insurgency reporting and analysis,” he said.Meanwhile, residents of Maiduguri metropolis have also expressed their joy over the peaceful celebration of Christmas across the state.The 2022 celebration of Christmas in the state has recorded no incident of attack by Boko Haram, as over 83, 000 Boko Haram repentant terrorists and their families surrendered to the Army.
Some of the residents, therefore, described this year as the most peaceful since the commencement of insurgency in the state by July 2009.
“It’s a hitch free Christmas. For the first time the event is celebrated without restriction of movement,” said Yohanna Musa of Bulumkutu community.
While Joy Yakubu, added that; “For over a decade, we had been living in fear, until this year of celebration of Christmas, it was peaceful without any fear of attacks from the insurgents.”
She therefore thanked God for making it possible for a hitch free Christmas and prayed that it will be sustained with peaceful coexistence between Christians and Muslims.