Billy Graham Abel Yola
Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai has promised Nigerians that the army will not rest until terror group Boko Haram is completely eliminated and rendered ineffective in launching attacks on soft target.
Buratai also urged Nigerians to be vigilant and report suspicious persons and movement to security operatives.
The Genral made this remarks over the weekend when he visited victims of the recent twin blasts in Mubi, Adamawa State that claimed 68 lives and injured 56 others.
The Chief of Army Staff who was in Mubi to commiserate with victims said, “You have to be vigilant of the people around you and report strange persons to security agencies.
“You can identify suicide bombers from the way they appear, how they dress and they may appear like mad people in your community. Don’t hesitate to report people like this to the security operatives for proper action.”
Buratai, accompanied by Brigade Commander, 23 Armoured Brigade, Adamawa State, Brig. Gen. Muhammed Bello, and other top military commanders, visited the scene of the blast to assess the situation and strategize towards providing a lasting solution to the long-running insurgency in northeastern Nigeria.
Buratai assured the Emir of Mubi that the Nigerian military will continue to work towards preventing a future attack.
The Emir of Mubi, Isah Ahmadu, commending Buratai, said he will continue to encourage members of the Mubi community to be vigilant and to collaborate with security operatives by providing useful information that will help in averting such senseless killings.
“We will cooperate with security operatives from ward to the top level to ensure that this never happens again,” the Emir said.
Victims of the twin blast are still receiving treatment at both the Mubi General Hospital and the Federal Medical Centre in Yola.
Earlier on Saturday, the convoy of the Chief of Army Staff was attacked by armed bandits while on a routine tour of operational areas of the Nigerian Army between Adamawa and Taraba.
The attack is said to have taken place along Yola-Numan Road at about 12 midnight on Saturday as armed bandits, staging a robbery, mounted roads blocks for unsuspecting commuters, only to be confronted with Chief of Army Staff and his men, who proceeded to stop and arrest four of the armed bandits.
The arrested men were on Sunday paraded and handed over to the Police for further investigation.