The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen Tukur Buratai, has faulted the claim by Borno State governor, Dr Kashim Shettima, that two local governments in the state are under the control of the Boko Haram terrorists.
Shettima had while receiving the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Babachir David Lawan, who led a six-man committee inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari to pay condolence visits to Borno and Adamawa states following the suicide attacks at mosques in the two states on Friday, said two local government areas were under the control of the terrorists.
Governor Shettima had said, “They (Boko Haram) are presently controlling two local governments in Borno State – Abadam and Mobbar – and partially in Marte.”
However, the chief of army staff, who spoke with journalists shortly after addressing troops at the headquarters of 3 Division, Marxwel Khobe Cantonment in Jos at the weekend, differed with the governor, insisting that the military had recovered all territories previously under the terrorists’ grip.
Buratai said, “It is not true. No Boko Haram is holding any territory. Have you heard them (Boko Haram) making any claims of late? We are more determined and we have more professional soldiers on the ground. We have been trained and equipped and ready to face the challenge posed by them.”
On what will happen if the Nigerian military fails to meet with the December deadline to rid the country of Boko Haram, the army boss said, “Well, I don’t envisage that. There are many options but we will make sure that we meet the deadline. At this point, I think we are on course. We are not thinking of missing the deadline because we still have November and December.”
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