B’Haram has finally failed – Military commander boasts

Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri

Theatre Commander Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj Gen Olusegun Adeniyi said Boko Haram has failed in its bid to capture and return the three northeast states to its caliphate.

Adeniyi while speaking at a special party organised for troops in the counter-insurgency operation by the command headquarters in Maiduguri, Borno State at the weekend said Boko Haram’s vision and mission to annex the northeast Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states were truncated by the military. He boasted the insurgents would not succeed.

“Boko Haram has failed and we will not give the group a breathing space. The members are unhappy people because they were denied the chance of taking over the northeast states,” he said.

The commander also commented on the increasing Boko Haram attacks and abduction along Maiduguri-Damaturu highway in an interview with journalists.

He maintained the upsurge in attacks on the road was fueled by pressure put on the terrorists by military troops. He said troops in the theatre had intensify assault on the insurgents, a situation which he said forced Boko Haram to flee some areas to attack travelers along the road.

“It is their usual style and modus operandi of attacking innocent people and retreating again into the bush. We will get them,” he vowed.

He urged the people not to panic, assuring that the situation was under control. He said the military had stepped up patrols along the road to ensure the insurgents do not have the space to launch their terror attacks.

Deputy Governor of Borno State, Umar Kadafur who represented the governor, said he was honoured to attend the dinner. He assured that the state would continue to collaborate with the military to end insurgency in the area.

Awards were given to some troops that had distinguished themselves in service. Also, wives of military commanders and senior officers were given awards for supporting their spouses in the battlefront and “holding forth the home front.”

The theatre commander explained that while the officers were in the front line commanding troops in the fight against insurgents, the wives were keeping the home front intact.