COAS Visits ‘Operation Crack Down’ Troops

The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai has commended the 151 Battalion soldiers fighting insurgency under the ‘Operation Crack Down’.

The recently introduced Operation Crack Down is a component of the mother operation “Lafiya Dole”, designed to chase out the outlawed Boko Haram elements from the notorious Sambisa forest believed to be their stronghold.

General Officer Commanding the 7 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General Victor Ezugwu, is leading the “Crack Down” troop in the Bama and Banki axis where the Army Chief.

The GOC engaged the COAS in a strategic meeting that lasted 30 minutes at the Division’s tactical headquarters in Bama before proceeding to Banki to address the troops.

“We are already inside the Sambisa forest and so far so good from the brief I have received from your GOC. This operation is very crucial and we need to continue to press hard to conclude the operation,” Buratai said.

According to Buratai, this is in the overall plan of the Operation Lafiya Dole and also part of the federal government’s plan to end the insurgency in northeast Nigeria.

“We are here today to say well done, Mr President is quite pleased with our operations (and) with what you’re doing, I want to tell you also that Nigerians are happy with you; we must crack them down and continue to push them until they are completely down.” Buratai told the soldiers.

The Army chief says Banki is tactically strategic and operationally important as it borders both the Cameroun and Chad republic and is also a major route for the insurgents linking to the northern and southern part of the state.