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GOC: New Security Role Won’t Overwhelm Army

Despite the additional responsibilities foisted on the Nigerian Army as a result of the internal security challenges facing the nation, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 82 Division, Major General Adebayo Olaniyi Friday assured that the army would not be overwhelmed by the task.

This is as the Nigerian Army in a statement said it has destroyed a Boko Haram camp in Borno State, killed several insurgents and freed three villages from the occupation of the outlawed sect in Felo, Gwaoi and Malagara in Gubio and Nganzai local government areas.

A statement by the Army said some troops of 5 Brigade of 7 Division Nigerian Army were deployed and presently operating in the Gubio and Nganzai local government areas "with the mandate to destroy terrorists and recently identified Boko Haram camp in Kafiya forest."

The Army also revealed yesterday that the recent attacks on some isolated locations in Borno State by the outlawed Boko Haram sect was out of desperation for food and cash.

Speaking with journalists in Umuahia, Abia State after the closing ceremonies of the 2013 Nigerian Army Finance Corps (NAFC) biennial training conference, the GOC said that the army was coping with the task of safeguarding the nation’s territorial integrity and fighting terrorism and criminalities in the land.

According to him, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen Azubuike Ihejirika has devised strategies to increase the capacity of the Army to discharge its responsibilities effectively, citing the expansion of the divisions from five to six with specific roles.

He said for instance, the newly c reated 7th Division “is saddled with the responsibility of routing the Boko Haram insurgents and other terrorists operating in the north-eastern part of the country.”

To checkmate the menace of kidnapping, oil bunkering, armed robbery and other criminalities, especially in the southern part of the country, the 82 Div GOC said that both 82 and 2 Divisions had been assigned the roles, adding that they were on top of the situation.

Olaniyi acknowledged that the additional security issues confronting the nation had also called for more funding and judicious deployment of resources.

Also fielding questions from journalists, the chief of accounts and budget (Army), Major Gen Abdullahi Muraina said that funding “will continue to be a complex issue because of constraints”. However, he stated that the Army was facing the challenges with collaboration and co-operation with governments, plugging areas of wastages and seeking alternative means of funding.

He noted that the Army and the military in general now enjoy more funding under the democratic dispensation, citing the consistent increase in budgetary allocations over the years.

Also yesterday, The Nigerian Army revealed that recent attacks on some isolated locations in Borno state by the outlawed Boko Haram sect was out of desperation for food and cash.

The Army, which said the sect had in the past resorted to cannibalism and armed robbery, disclosed that the sect had been going from one village to the other attacking helpless Nigeria for food and cash.

In a signed press statement by the spokesman of the 7 Division of the Nigerian Army, Maiduguri, Lt. Col. Sagir Musa, the sect was accused of dispatching a letter to Dikwa market demanding N1 million from traders to enable them purchase food items and other logistic or face their wrath.

Musa, said in one of the numerous attacks on 12 September, 2013 "some troops of Banking Forward Operating Base on a mission to 202 Battalion Bama, on their way back to Banki encountered some Bomo Haram terrorists along Bama-Banki road carrying out armed robbery activities on innocent traders and travellers.

"The terrorists had killed three passengers and collected unspecified amount of cash and food items during the robbery incident."

He disclosed that in the ensuing confrontation, several Boko Haram members lost their lives.

He said: "The recent distressed attacks on isolated villages in some agrarian areas of Northern Borno State brings to the fore the blatant desperation of Boko Haram terrorists in search for food items, cash for survival and sustenance of their sacrilegious activities."

Musa however assured Nigerians that the Army was on top of the situation and should not be needlessly apprehensive.