The Chief of Army Staff, Maj-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru has stated that the Nigerian Army will soon begin the second phase of operation against Boko Haram insurgents.
Recall that the Army under Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai (rtd) had in 2015 had launched operation Lafiya Dole, a code name derived from Hausa language which means “peace by all means”, and hundreds of Boko Haram insurgents had been eliminated under the operation.
In January, the army had also launched Tura Takaibango, a subsidiary of Lafiya Dole.
Speaking during a visit to troops in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, on Saturday, Attahiru said he was in the theatre command to appraise the military operation in the Sambisa general area.
The military general also said he was in Maiduguri to boost the morale of troops prosecuting the war on terror.
He said: “As you know, areas around Njimiya, Sabilul Huda and the entire general area where Boko Haram had deployed before now have been cleared. We can rightly say we can get to the second phase of the operation, which will start soon,” he said.
“The adversary will want to distract you and that is the example of what we had in New Marte and Dikwa. Good enough, our troops gave a good account of themselves and took on the terrorist decisively.
“We will also encourage them and bring in more combat multipliers, that is what we will continue to have all through the theatre.”