Service chiefs and director of Defense Intelligence, with the exception of Chief of Naval Staff, arrived Maiduguri yesterday in compliance with the presidential directive for them to relocate to the Northeast to restrategize towards successfully checking the upswing in Boko Haram insurgency.

After a 4-hour closed-door meeting by the Defense, Army and Air Force chiefs with Commander and officers of Operation Lafiya Dole, Director of Defense Information, Maj. Gen. John Enenche, said the service chiefs’ arrival in Maiduguri was the decisive launch pad for the renewed war against Boko Haram terrorism by Nigerian military.

The Defense spokesman said during their meeting, the service chiefs also reviewed facts surrounding the latest Boko Haram resurgence that led to the death of over 69 persons, including NNPC and University of Maiduguri staff and members of civilian JTF in Bornoyesu, with some of them missing.

He disclosed that the meeting, presided over by Chief of Defense Staff, General Gabriel Olonisakin, reviewed  the strategic direction and operational plans of the terror war to give fresh impetus to the actions, moves and efforts of the military in the Northeast.

Enenche expressed Defense Headquarters’ appeal to the communities directly affected by negative acts of terrorism and criminality to divulge information to the security agencies to assist in combating the insurgents.

Enenche said, “Chief of Defence held a briefing session with Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Air Staff, Theatre commander and senior officers of the military high command at Military Command and Control Centre on 1st August 2017, on the reviewed strategic direction and operational plans, in compliance to the directive of the Acting President.”

The spokesman reassured that COAS' directive to officers and men of the Nigerian military to arrest the Leader of Boko Haram Abubakar Shekau dead or alive was still sacrosanct, and the service chiefs’ presence in Maiduguri would help in that direction.

He said renewed operations included restructuring, restrategizlng and  intelligence, among others, to completely end Boko Haram insurgency.

Daily Trust