Ihejirika assures of military campaign against insurgency

[TGD]

 CHIEF of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Azubuike O. Ihejirika, says military operations against insurgents in the three states where the Federal Government declared a state of emergency, are bearing good fruits, even as he commended soldiers for their exemplary conduct.

Ihejirika, who made his opinion public while fielding questions from journalists at Abakaliki, noted that although the commanders in the field who are attending the second quarter Army conference in Ebonyi State are expected to provide the Army Headquarters with facts and figures from the operations, preliminary estimation shows that so far the exercise is yielding positive results.

His words: "We reviewed ongoing operations. The commanders in the field provided Army Headquarters with facts and figures... It would be very interesting to note that so far, casualty has been very minimal on the part of the security forces. And it would also interest you to note that the communities in places where these operations are being conducted are very happy and they have been expressing their joy to the officers".

In allusion to the inter-communal clash at Ezza/Ezillo that necessitated the construction of a Forward Operating Base (FOB) of the Army in the area, the COAS explained that the facility has the potential of being raised to a full battalion even as he called on the warring factions and militants to change their ideas so that development can take place.

His words: "One of the primary conditional tasks of Nigeria Army is keeping the peace to ensure that trouble makers are put in check. Like I said earlier, what we have to render is service. It is the desire of the Nigerian Army that we don't have to fire a shot on any civilian to bring about peace. So I call on all warring factions, on all militants to change ideas so that development will take place. But in practical terms, we would soon take over the FOB at Ezillo; as time goes by, it stands the chance of being raised to a full battalion.

"So these are the kind of reports we give. But like I said before, it is my wish that we don't have to fire a single shot to bring about this peace. But certainly because we are there, should there be anybody that would try to test our will... Our reciprocal gesture to the state is in terms of peace and we have been able to demonstrate this."



The Guardian