Timothy Olanrewaju Maiduguri
Dozens of army officers and soldiers on Friday embarked on cleaning up streets of Maiduguri, capital of Borno as part of activities for this year’s Nigeria n Army Day Celebration (NADCEL).
 
Acting General Officer Commanding (GOC), 7 Division Nigerian Army Maiduguri, Brig Gen Abdul Khalifa Ibrahim said the cleaning exercise was part of army’s social responsibility to the society apart from the 2020 NADCEL activities.
“What you are seeing here today is our non-kinetic approach to fighting insurgency. The army is not just about war, we also have social responsibility to the people. This is in a way to also improve civil-military relations,” he told newsmen at Baga road where the cleaning started.
He said the army decided to clean up the Baga road axis being a major way to its Maimalari Cantonment. He said the exercise would also help troops to relate freely with the civilian population and change the orientation of people about the military.
He commended the residents for joining troops in the cleaning exercise. He also warned traders and marketers at Baga Road Market against sales of food items to Boko Haram.
: We know the insurgents often come here to buy foods but you should join the military to end this insurgency,” he said.