Buratai ‘relocates to north-east’, promises to lead his men to war

Tukur Buratai, chief of army staff, has relocated to the north-east to join soldiers fighting Boko Haram insurgents, according to the army. 

In 2015, following President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive, the military command centre was relocated to Maiduguri in Borno state, and the army created operation Lafiya Dole to fight the insurgents. 

But days after President Idriss Déby of Chad led soldiers to capture Boko Haram’s arms store in Sambisa, the army announced that Buratai had relocated to the north-east. 

“The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lt Gen TY Buratai has relocated fully to the North East where he is overseeing and directing the overall operation in the theatre and other Nigerian Army operations across the country,” Sagir Musa, army spokesman, said in a statement. 

“While addressing troops of Special Super Camp Ngamdu in Kaga Local Government Area of Borno State on 9 April 2020, Gen Buratai said that he will be with them to the nooks and crannies of the theatre.

“It will be recalled that we earlier reported that the COAS had been on operational tour to troops’ locations in the North East Theatre of Operation since Saturday the 4th of April, 2020.

“During the tour, he was at the Army Super Camp 1 at Mulai and the Special Forces Super Camp 12 at Chabbol near Maiduguri on Wednesday 8 April 2020 where he interacted with the officers and addressed the troops respectively.

“COAS was also at the Forward Operations Base at Alau Dam, and also personally led the troops on patrol round Mairimari and Maigilari Forests.”

The army reassured Nigerians that it is highly committed to protecting all law abiding citizens and defending Nigeria’s territorial integrity.

It also added that the Boko Haram insurgency would end soon.