Army launches strike force to crush Boko Haram insurgents

In a renewed onslaught against Boko Haram insurgents in the north-east, the Nigerian army has inaugurated special mobile strike force.

Ibrahim Attahiru, theatre commander, operation Lafiya Dole, made the announcement on Tuesday at the inauguration of the force at Maimalari cantonment, Maiduguri.

He said the special strike force was one of the new approaches evolved by the military to end insurgency and enhance security network in the region.

He said soldiers deployed to the force were exposed to modern terrorism combat techniques to enable them to crush the insurgents.

“The mobile strike force (MST) is launched to deny the insurgents freedom of action and finally decimate them,” he said.

“This specially selected force with mixed equipment and platforms were deployed to achieve the conduct of long range patrols and ambush deep into the hinterlands.

“All these are in an effort to ensure the success of Operation Lafiya Dole and enhance our operational efficiency.”

The commander tasked the soldiers to be resolute, disciplined and determined to achieve victory in the campaign.

He urged them to be guided by their professional ethics to enable them win the war.

Attahiru told the soldiers that successful campaign against the insurgents would have an indelible mark in the history of counter-insurgency campaign in the north-east.

In the past two months, the army has intensified its campaign against the insurgents.

Dozens of insurgents had been killed and arrested while a bomb factory in Borno was destroyed.