Philip Nwosu
The acting General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 7 Division of the Nigerian Army, Brig-Gen. Abdulmalik Biu, has charged troops to keep their ‘eyes on the ball’ to wipe out remnants of the Boko Haram insurgents.
General Biu gave the charge while addressing officers and men of the division shortly after he assumed office in the division on Saturday in Maiduguri.
He vowed that he would never relent until he cleaned up the North-east, the epicentre of a decade-long insurgency that has taken a toll on human lives and the economy of the area.
Biu noted that a lot had been achieved in the ongoing counter-terrorism campaign by the Federal Government, urging troops to put in more energy, zeal and determination to end the insurgency.
The acting GOC lauded the inputs of other security agencies in complementing the efforts of the army in crushing the Jihadists.
“From all I have heard and seen within the short period, our sister security agencies have been doing a great job to win the peace, well done.”
Biu said that his doors remained open to new ideas, advice and strategies that would foster peace and unity in troubled areas.
He also pleaded with residents to double their support to security agencies by reporting nefarious activities that could threaten the peace.
“Fighting terrorism is a collective responsibility. I, therefore, urge you not to relent. You should not be discouraged by the isolated tactics of Boko Haram, causing havoc on soft targets,’’ he pleaded. Brig-Gen. Biu on Friday took over as acting General Officer Commanding (GOC), 7 Division of the Nigerian Army in Maiduguri. He took over the command from Maj-Gen. Ibrahim Yusuf, who had been posted to the Army Headquarters as Director, Consult of the Nigerian Army Resource Centre (NARC).
Until his new appointment, the GOC was the Deputy Director, Human Factor at the Defence Headquarters.
In a brief ceremony, Biu was presented with the division’s flag by his predecessor, after signing of the hand and take-over notes at the Maimalari Barracks, headquarters of the Division in Maiduguri. In his remarks, the GOC expressed his determination to build on the successes recorded by his predecessors in the ongoing operations against insurgency in the North-east to achieve lasting results.
“I came with an open mind to move the division forward, I assure you that I am determined to take the division and the fight against insurgency to the next level. “I will continue to refer to you (my predecessor) for consultations whenever I have issues that need your advice.
“I also count on the support of other soldiers in the division to succeed, as the task before us requires teamwork,” he said.