Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, has visited the Police Training College, Limankara-Gwoza, and climbed the hills as part of operational visit to North East.
The college is one of the critical security institutions overran by the Boko Haram terrorists during the peak of their activities in Borno state in August 2014.
The Limankara village where the college is located and the entire Gwoza Local Government Area was under the control of the terrorists for months before the troops retook the area in 2015.
Buratai was conducted round the college by top police officers in the college.
After the ascent of the two hills, Buratai disclosed that the value of climbing the hills was borne out of the desire to feel what the troops feel in carrying out operations there.
“This what they do virtually every day, they don’t only climb, they equally trek far distances and so it is good for us to appreciate what they are doing and we will be in a better state to understand their feeling and also address them as the case may be.
“As you can see, it is equally a morale booster because I have gone up there to see the observation course officer at the peak of this hill which is almost the highest around here.
“Seeing the chief of Army Staff with him there is something that he never imagined but this is encouraging them and to tell them we are with them,” he said.
Buratai commended the performance of the troops against terrorists in the area and the North East in general, adding that the performance had been impressive and encouraging. He said troops had exhibited high level of professionalism and resilience with the knowledge of the terrain.