Security Expert have lauded the achievements of the President Bola Tinubu led administration in the fight against Boko Haram in the last one year.
The experts said this when they spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri on Monday.
Mr Chidi Omeje, a security expert and the Executive Director, Citizens Initiative for Security Awareness, said that Nigeria had recorded tremendous achievements in the last one year in the fight against Boko Haram in the North East.
Omeje said that since the assumption of office of Tinubu, the Nigerian military had demonstrated its operational capabilities in fighting the Boko Haram terrorists.
‘’Tinubu took a decisive step by rejigging the country’s security architecture with the appointment of new service chiefs, with a matching order to fine-tune strategies to combat Nigeria’s security challenge.
‘’The rapid degradation of terrorists in the North-East is a gladdening testament to the fact that Tinubu is keeping his ‘Renewed Hope’ promise to Nigerians in character, credibility and commitment with regard to genuinely fixing the country’s security crisis.
‘’This feat was achieved with the sheer commitment and competence of the Chief of Army Staff, savoring sufficient support and impetus from his brother service chiefs; the Operation Hadin Kai Theater Command and the 7 Division of the Nigerian Army; and the sheer patriotism, commitment and determination of the frontline troops,’’ he said.
Mr Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency expert, corroborated Omeje’s claim, saying that the new military strategy had also ensured that the Boko Haram terrorists and their leadership were in complete disarray, setting the conditions for the commencement of the final assault on their evil enclaves and hideouts.
‘’A few of the most-spectacular achievements include the neutralisation of 618 terrorists; destruction of 461 terrorists’ enclaves; conduct of clearance operations in Sambisa Forest, Lake Chad, Yuwe and the Mandara Mountains; and the recovery of arms, ammo vehicles and equipment as well as the destruction of a large quantity of others belonging to the terrorists.
‘’The most-gladdening, perhaps, is the surrender of more than 160,000 Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists to troops, out of which 42,189 have been handed over to Borno Government; as well as the rescue of about 18 abducted Chibok girls, within the last one year.
“In its latest Operation in Sambisa Forest the troops of Operation Hadin Kai cleared about seven Boko Haram camps, Gargash, Farisu, Njimia, Garin Glucos, Sabil Huda, Garin Panel Bitter and Lagara which led to the killing of 21 Boko Haram fighters and the rescue of over 300 captives.
‘’The military by sufficiently clearing terrorist enclaves across the region over the last one year, was able to create the enabling environment for the restoration of civil administration as well as relocation of over one million IDPs to their ancestral homes,’’ he said.(NAN)
