Army chief promises to tackle terror attacks on North-East roads

From Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri and Molly Kilete, Abuja

Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt Gen Taoreed Lagbaja has promised to tackle terror attacks on highways and roads in the country’s northeast states. Lagbaja made the promise in Maiduguri, Borno State capital on Friday during his operational visit to the theatre of counter-terrorism; Joint Task Force Northeast Operation Hadin Kai

“I came to the theatre this time around for operational visit, to talk physically with the troops, to address the challenge we’ve observed in the theatre like the challenge of kidnap of civilians on the highways in Borno and the use of IEDs to attack convoy on the road,” he disclosed.

He said the visit will also help him to go round all army formations and units in the theatre, listen to complaints, administrative and operational issues from troops for the army headquarters to take ‘appropriate action’ on the challenges.

“The challenges of attacks on civilians by the terrorists, use of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and kidnapping will be addressed after an assessment of the information gathered during the visit,” the army chief assured.  He had also commissioned a block of 30 flats of two-bedrooms for corporals and below cadre personnel. Gen Lagbaja had arrived the theatre on Thursday night and received briefings from the Theatre Commander, Maj Gen Golden Chibuisi on the current security situation of the North East,  ongoing operational  activities to clear terrorists from their enclaves in the Lake Chad region and the Mandara mountains as well as the challenges of the outfit.

The COAS who commended the troops for the operational successes so far recorded, however noted that new trends have been noticed in the activities of the terrorists as they have resorted to abduction for ransom, pillaging for logistics and attacking civilians with Improvised Explosive Device (IED).

The army chief assured that combat enablers will be provided to support ongoing operations to further ensure more pronounced stability in the region.