Nigerian Army Deploys Maximum Intelligence to Tackle Insurgency

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Yusuf Tukur Buratai, has said the Nigerian Army is employing maximum intelligence in its efforts to combat  and contain all forms of insurgencies in Nigeria.

Speaking on Tuesday while declaring open the 2019 Nigerian Army Infantry Corps conference in Jaji, Kaduna State, Buratai said the Nigerian Army is also pushing very hard to finally sanitise border countries which some of the insurgents use as a base to carry out their nefarious activities.

He however stressed that for total victory to be achieved in the fight against insurgency and other criminalities, there was need for all hands to be on deck.

Buratai said the fight against banditry and other forms of social vices should not be left to traditional leaders or security agencies alone, but should be a collective responsibility of every well-meaning Nigerian.

He said: “Bandits or insurgents don't come from the moon, they are everywhere, they go to markets to make purchases, interact with people every time, hence the need for information and intelligence gathering and sharing to help achieve the required results.

"The Nigerian Armed Forces will continue to discharge their duties in the protection of the territorial integrity of the country.

"The change in the Nigeria Army and its innovation are quite outstanding. With our collective effort with other security agencies, we were able to deal decisively with the Boko Haram insurgency.

"Today, we have the full initiative in collaboration with the members of Multi National Joint Task Force countries; we are working hard to ensure that we finally sanitise the northern part of Borno State, our border fringes with Niger, Chad and Cameroon.

“Within the hinterlands, some of them are still hibernating in the remote areas; they are planning and we are also planning to counter them.

"We will ensure that we employ the maximum intelligence required to contain those within the hinterland,” he said.

According to him, “Terrorism is quite a complex phenomenon, and a situation that requires a more comprehensive approach, which is in the totality of government and every individual in the country.

“If this is done, we will be able to contain insurgency at anytime it rears its ugly head.

"It cannot be left to the traditional rulers, local government chairmen, state governors or the federal government institutions like the military or police alone. It is the collective responsibility of everybody.  Every individual and society has a role to play.”

He said the insurgents, including the bandits, that are causing havoc in the North and other parts of the country don't come from the moon, “they all live in the society, they go to market places, motor parks and they also buy food stuffs in different areas where they are produced and they interact with people.

“If the overall populace sees it as their own responsibility to support the government and security agencies, it means we are going to resolve every security issues in the country soon.”

The COAS said the armed forces have done their best “but we must continue to preserve the territorial integrity of our country and defend her from external aggression and any form of internal security challenges.”

Earlier in his remarks, the Commander of Infantry Corps, Maj. Gen. S. O. Olabanji, said the conference was an opportunity for the infantry family to interact and brainstorm on contemporary issues affecting the country in general and the Nigerian Army with particular focus on the roles of the infantry in the scheme of things.