How Nigerian Army Chief Spent Night In Former Boko Haram Enclave (PHOTOS) - Politics

A night with Nigeria’s Chief of Army in Gamboru
The border town of Gamboru, a town in North-Eastern Nigeria, has witnessed several attacks by Boko Haram insurgents. Apart from attacking the village and sending residents fleeing to nearby communities including Fotokol in Cameroon, Boko Haram also occupied Gamboru and for about a year lorded over the area.
However on Wednesday, one week after Nigerian soldiers recaptured the town after fierce battles with the insurgents, the Nigerian Army chief, Tukur Buratai, vowed the town would never fall to insurgents again. In an unprecedented move, the army chief not only visited Gamboru to fraternise with soldiers, he slept in the quiet town.
In a display of strength, Mr. Buratai, a Lieutenant General, also ordered the hoisting of Nigeria’s flag that was a taboo during the Boko Haram conquest.
For anyone that saw what the terrorists made of the once bubbling and economically vibrant Gamboru, having a army chief pass a night there would be one of the craziest things a top soldier would consider doing.
The Trip
The trip from Maiduguri to Gamboru is just 145km. But it took about 12 hours to get there, as the Explosive Ordnance Department of the Nigerian Army had to sniff every inch of the route for land mines. Many land mines buried by Boko Haram were unearthed and defused by the bomb experts.
But one went off, injured some soldiers and destroyed one of the Armoured Personnel Carriers.
The Chief of Army Staff alongside other top army rednecks arrived Gamboru at about 5 p.m. on Wednesday. PREMIUM TIMES and other journalists were also part of the trip.
Mr. Buratai’s first task after addressing cheering soldiers was to hoist Nigeria’s flag in the liberated territory. Boko Haram had forced the residents of Gamboru to flee their homes for many months now. Most of them are still taking refuge in Fotokol, about 500 meters away. Nigeria and Cameroon are separated in that area by a river, which has a concrete bridge across it.
PREMIUM TIMES observed that when the Chief of Army Staff and his troops arrived near the bridge to hoist the Nigerian Flag, the quiet area almost turned chaotic as over 3000 Nigerians taking refuge in Fotokol went wild in excitement, hailing the soldiers from the bank of the river on the Cameroonian side. The mood caused tears from some observers especially as the poor villagers, who had spent months looking at their devastated hometown from across the river, continued to chant ‘Sai Baba Buhari, Sai soldier (meaning ‘all hail President Buhari, all hail Nigeria soldiers).
A night with Nigeria’s Chief of Army in Gamboru
After a brief ceremony and statement from the army chief , everyone at the venue sang the Nigerian National Anthem in high pitch, as a soldier who was the last bearer of the flag after it went through the hierarchy of command from the army chief, hoisted the Green-White-Green flag. The villagers, chanting from across the river bank, provided a rhythmic melody to the national anthem. Even the generals shed tears as, once again, Nigeria’s territorial control and integrity was restored in the Gamboru area.
General Buratai’s words echoed from the loudspeaker over the desolated town of Gamboru and into Fotokol as he delivered a brief speech at the flag hoisting ceremony.
“We are here today to observe this significant and symbolic ceremony of hoisting the Nigerian national flag,” he said.”If you could remember, this town of Gamboru was occupied by the Boko Haram terrorists for almost one year ago. The Chadian troops came to help recapture it but could not hold the town, so they later withdrew and the Boko Haram returned again.
“In line with my vision which is to have a professionally responsive Nigerian Army that is abreast of its constitutional roles, and one key underlying phrase in my mission is the constitutional role, today, under my command, we are here to discharge and redeem our territorial integrity as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Today we are hoisting our flag and we will never allow any bunch of criminals in the name of Boko Haram to come and take an inch of our territory again.”
Mr. Buratai thanked soldiers who partook in the operations to recapture the town.
“I will like to commend officers and soldiers of the Operation Lafiya Dole, especially the officers and men of 7 Division and indeed the 7 Division Strike Group, who have proved to be resilient, dedicated and highly patriotic. Nigerians are proud of you, Nigerian Army is proud of you and indeed Mr. President is very proud of you.
“We have to maintain the momentum and from now on you must maintain an aggressive posture to constant patrols along this routes and all other routes into this area.”
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