Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai, said the Nigerian Army has established 20 super camps in the North East to curtail the activities of Boko Haram and Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP), terrorists in the North East.
Buratai has also said the Nigerian Army is set to deploy more troops and equipment to the North East in the coming days to give the terrorists the battle of their lives.
The army chief made this known at the opening of the Chief of Army Staff combined second and third quarter conference holding in Abuja.
He said that with the establishment of the super camps, the Nigerian Army has redefined the conduct of the counter-insurgency operations to bring the terrorism war to an end in the shortest possible time.
He has, therefore, charged commanders of the various counter-insurgency operations to key into the already-circulated laid down standing operating procedures and the directives of the super camps.
He said: “We have also redefined the conduct of Operations of Lafia Dole with a new scheme of maneuver using the super camp concept of operation.
“A total of 20 super camps have so far been established in the North East and commanders are required to key into the already-circulated laid down standing operating procedures and directives.
“The concept entails the concentration of formidable fighting force in strongholds that have the capacity for swift mobility. This requires the forces to be proactive, dogged and capable of taking bold offenses at all times to defeat the adversaries by denying freedom of action within a strong response areas or response areas as the case may be.
“To support the super camp concept, we have inducted more manpower and equipment into the theatre and have plan to within the remaining days of the third quarters 2019, to deploy more troops towards achieving the desired end state.
More platforms are being inducted through our research and development efforts and the production of our own equipment in line with the directive of Mr President for the armed forces to look inwards and source for key equipment locally.
“The effort is already yielding positive results. I am delighted to inform you that in collaboration with an indigenous company, we have commissioned and inducted about seven of these newly- manufactured emraps into the theatre.
Continuing, Buratai said: “One of the biggest challenges that has continually faced the Nigerian Army is the ever-growing issue of insecurity occasioned by myriads of global factors. These actions or factors could be traced to economic, social and political factors affecting almost all parts of the world.
“In our bid to curtail some of the contemporary security challenges such as kidnapping, banditry in the North West, we launched Operation Habin Kunama 3, in the first quarter of 2019. The operation which sprang through the second and third quarters has recorded successes in curbing the rampaging activities of bandits and kidnappers. However, despite the successes, there are cases in Sokoto, Kastina, Kebbi and Kaduna states still occurring, unfortunately.
“To continue to support the civil authorities, the troops employed and indeed the equipment deployed have now being composed into Operation Mesa.”
The three-day conference is being attended by Principal Staff Officers from both the Defence and Army Headquarters, General Officers Commanding, Operation Commanders, Commandants of Army schools and training institutions.