I’m here to conclude fight against Boko Haram insurgency, says GOC

The new General Officer Commanding (GOC), 7 Division of Nigerian Army, Brig-Gen. Abdulmalik Biu has declared his takeover from his predecessor was to conclude the job of fighting the Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast.

The nine-year insurgency has already claimed many lives and property in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe. Biu said this yesterday while taking over from the outgoing GOC, Brig-Gen. Ibrahim Yusuf at Maimalari Cantonment,Maiduguri. Yusuf has been deployed to the Nigerian Army Resource Centre, Abuja; as Director, Nigerian Army Consult. The new GOC assured that he has come to move the army to greater heights and end Boko Haram insurgency.

Yusuf said that troops have facilitated the return of over 600, 000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to nine liberated communities in Borno. He said most of the terrorists’ activities of suicide attacks, were to influence public opinion and not to have the capacity to attack military posts and commands. He claimed that in a single counter-insurgency operation this year, 900 Boko Haram captives were rescued.

According to him, the insurgents have been significantly degraded for peace to return in liberated communities. He said that the returning IDPs in 67 vehicles were traveling to their communities without any military escort to Bama, Gambouru and Gwoza. He urged the troops to extend support and cooperation to the new GOC.