The president reiterated this position in its maiden meeting with the service chiefs yesterday. He had announced this strategy during his inaugural address to the nation on Friday. According to him, their relocation to the epicentre of the battle would add vigour to the war against Boko Haram.
As reported by LEADERSHIP yesterday, the service chiefs who attended the meeting are the chief of defence staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Sabundu Badeh; chief of army staff, Lt-Gen Kenneth Minimah; chief of air staff, Air Marshal Adesola Nunayon Amosu, and the chief of naval staff, Vice Admiral Jibrin Usman.
According to an informed military source, President Buhari’s plan to relocate the Command and Control Centre to Maiduguri did not receive the support of the military high command.
At the meeting, according to an insider account, the attention of the service chiefs was brought to the story about their reluctance to relocate the CCC but the military chiefs reportedly said they would comply with the president’s order.
“We are not indifferent to the directive, Your Excellency; we are only waiting for official directive since it was from the inaugural address that you made the observation. And even be that as it may, we are already working out the modalities for the implementation of the directive, sir,” the CDS was quoted to have spoken on behalf of his colleagues.
Buhari was said to have explained to them the reason for his position and all the parties were said to have reasoned along with him.
“President Buhari told them that the presence of the Command and Control Centre will not only accelerate the operations by bridging the communication gap between Abuja and Maiduguri but will instil fear in the terrorists and discourage them from threatening the peace and the unity of the country,” said the source.
In his maiden speech last Friday, Buhari argued that victory over Boko Haram would remain a mirage unless the service chiefs relocated to the theatre of operation.
We’re Moving Command Centre To Maiduguri Immediately- Service Chiefs
Security chiefs in the country said yesterday that the directive issued by President Muhammadu Buhari that the military command centre be moved to Maiduguri will be carried as quickly as possible.Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin who gave the hint after coming from a meeting between the president and the service chiefs told journalists that the movement of the command centre to Maiduguri is a presidential directive that must be carried out without delay.
The security meeting which held at Defence House, Maiatama, Abuja and lasted for over three hours was part of preparations for the president’ strip to Niger and Chad where he is billed to hold talks on how to end the Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria.
Speaking to State House correspondents alongside the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, the Naval chief said yesterday’s security meeting with the President became necessary to brief him on the security situation in the country.
He said, “Since he was inaugurated as our Commander-in-chief this is the first time that we are formally meeting him to give general security briefing of the country, and that well very well, we have been able to provide insights into the security situation of Nigeria.
“The Boko haram issue, like I told you we have just given general briefing with respect to general security situation. Specifically on Boko Haram, with the level of successes being recorded, we want to maintain the tempo, and sustain until they are routed out”.
On when the command centre will be relocated to Maiduguri, he said, “The command cente we are the ones to go back and work on it. Soon it will be carried out, it is a Presidential directive, it must be carried out, and we must do that as quickly as possible.
“All Nigerians should continue to support the military and provide us with the needed intelligence, as to the human beings, their movements and suspicious movement should be reported to the police of course the police will make that available to us.
“You know as we continue to put pressure on them, in the Sambisa area, they will try to run away from there and then create further problems, using improvised explosives devices”.
On why the terrorists were becoming more daring, Jibrin said, “Like I told you, we are sustaining the tempo and the successes we have recorded so far. We want to continue to maintain that and if there is any suggested solutions that require amendments or alteration of what we’re doing, why not? Most especially the more they give us the intelligence, the better”.
Also present at the meeting were the National Security Adviser, Col. Dasuki Sambo (rtd) and all the service chiefs.
Source: Leadership
No comments:
Post a Comment