We have defeated insurgency, but now face the challenge of terrorism —Buratai

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Tukur Buratai has declared that troops of the Nigerian Army have been able to defeat insurgency in the northeastern part of Nigeria but now face the challenge of terrorism.

Buratai who made the submission on Thursday morning when he was featured on Arise Television also revealed that Boko Haram terrorists can be found everywhere in Nigeria including Lagos State.

Speaking further, the COAS said that since members of Boko Haram terrorists group have been subdued in the North-east, they have moved to other parts of the country to promote fear.

He said: “We have defeated insurgency, but facing the challenge of terrorism.

“There is no where you will not find Boko Haram – even in Lagos here, there are Boko Haram. In Kaduna, there are Boko Haram. There are more across the North-east. Many have been arrested here in Lagos. We have been tracking them. We arrest them and take them into custody.

“We must differentiate between insurgency and terrorism. I have tried to tell them at the National Assembly. Someone said three local governments are under Boko Haram. How?

“These guys are not controlling any territory. They attempted to establish their territory, caliphate in Gwoza but they have not been able to because they were flushed out. That is insurgency. They are not holding any territory.

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“Typically, that is the end of insurgency. But what of terrorism? Terrorism will outlive you and me and probably everybody in this house because terrorism, since it started, just like armed robbery, like kidnapping, burglary, cultism, it would continue.

“These are all smaller parts of terrorism. It is when it goes higher that you have arsons, like it happened in Borno yesterday, murder and so on deliberately, no cause,” Buratai added.

The comments of the COAS comes after sporadic gunshots suspected to have been fired by Boko Haram fighters rocked the Jiddari Polo general area of Maiduguri, Borno State, on Wednesday evening.

The incident occurred a few hours after President Muhammadu Buhari visited Borno to sympathise with the government and people of the state over last Sunday’s terror attack that killed 30 stranded travelers in Auno Town.

Jiddari Polo General Area is located south of the Maiduguri metropolis and a few metres away from the 21 Armoured Barracks, Giwa.

Although the sound of the gun later subsided, many of the residents had fled to other parts of the state capital.

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