The Service Chiefs of the Nigerian Armed Forces will henceforth to spend “more operational time” at the Military Command and Control Centre in Maiduguri, in line with the Acting President’s directive.
The Director Defence Information, Maj.-Gen. John Enenche, made the announcement on Tuesday in Maiduguri.
He was responding to a question posed by newsmen at a briefing held at the end of a 4-hour meeting the service chiefs held with the Theatre Commander.
The meeting was attended by the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai and the Chief of Air Force Staff, Air Marshal Abubakar Sadique.
Also in attendance was a representative of the Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, and Maj.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, the theatre commander.
Last week Thursday, following the kidnap of NNPC staff and some University of Maiduguri workers on oil exploration mission to Borno, the acting president, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo ordered the service chiefs to move to Maiduguri.
Enenche explained that the service chiefs had reviewed the “strategic direction and plans” as directed.
He said that the move was expected to give “impetus’’ to the efforts of the operations of the military in the North-East.
“Consequently, the Defence headquarters hereby appeal to the people in the areas affected directly by acts of terrorism and criminality to come forward with credible information that will assist the security and response agencies tackle this menace,” Enenche said.
He listed specific information required by the security agencies to include terrorists’ sleeper cell locations, terrorists’ concentration areas and outpost locations, collaborators and informants to terrorists.
According to him, other information included suspicious habitations and living quarters of the terrorists within rural and urban centres; suspicious isolated settlements and camps outside normal living areas. (NAN)