Take the war to Boko Haram, Zulum tells army

Babagana Zulum, governor of Borno state, has asked the army to take the fight to Boko Haram hideouts in the north-east.

Troops, under the army’s operation Lafiya Dole, have been fighting Boko Haram insurgents in the region for the last 10 years.

The governor, who was the keynote speaker at the chief of army staff conference in Maiduguri, Borno state capital on Tuesday, said soldiers should not wait for the insurgents to attack first.

“In line with my 10 cardinal agenda for good governance, Borno state government shall maintain and sustain its role as a key stakeholders in the activities and operations of Nigerian army through provision of all the needed support and morale boosting mechanism to all security operatives involved in the fight against insurgency to end Boko Haram crisis,” he said.

“I urge the Nigerian army to take the war to all hideouts of Boko Haram. The army should not wait and give the insurgents the opportunity of first attack. You should as a matter of policy embark upon clinical clearance operation after successful execution of attacks.

“Let me commend the renewed effort and vigour of the Nigerian army in the fight against insurgency and urge you to sustain the momentum.”

Reacting, Tukur Buratai, the army’s chief, thanked the governor for honouring the invitation and for always identifying with the army ”on the collective effort to defeat terrorism and criminalities in the northeast”.

The governor, in the past months, had clashed with soldiers some of whom he accused of extorting motorists.

In July, he said his government would mobilise hunters if the military was unable to protect Baga in the state.

Recently, there have been two attacks on the governor’s convoy by suspected Boko Haram insurgents.