The Nigerian military has again reiterated its commitment to reclaim Sambisa Forest and bring the Boko Haram insurgency to an end, Punch reports.
The military, which stated this through the theatre commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Major General Lucky Irabor, also noted that the proposed swap deal involving the missing Chibok school girls with some captured Boko Haram members should not be seen as a sign of failure.
Irabor spoke at the 23rd Armoured Brigade Jalo cantonment in Yola on Wednesday after he received operational briefing from the Brigade commander, 23rd Armoured Brigade, Brigadier General Benson Akinroluyo, and other military officers involved in the counter-insurgency operation from the Adamawa axis.
He said Nigerians ought to commend President Muhammadu Buhari for his decision to opt for the negotiated release of the missing schoolgirls held in captivity by the Boko Haram sect.
He said since the president is also the President of the captured insurgents there was nothing wrong if there’s a swap.
He said, “Operative objective of the military in its counter-insurgency operations derives from the President’s statement that the war against insurgency wouldn’t be said to have been won without the rescue of the Chibok girls.
“If in the wisdom of the Commander-in-Chief, he believes that the swap for the release of the Chibok girls is what is best, that doesn’t mean failure. How does this amount to failure. That I captured people who are the leadership of the Boko Haram. You should commend the military for doing that, it is not a failure.”
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