Abducted from their boarding school in Borno State in April 2014, over 200 pupils from the Government Girls Secondary School Chibok, have been held by Boko Haram ever since. Despite an international campaign being mounted for their freedom, the Nigerian military have been unable to locate the girls.
Speaking to soldiers on the frontline in Borno State yesterday from via newly-acquired military virtual communication van called Mobile Command Post (MPC), President Buhari gave them a direct order concerning the abducted Chibok girls. After laying a wreath in honour of Nigeria's fallen heroes, the president was linked virtually with troops in Maiduguri, Bita, Izge and Gwoza.
President Buhari said: “The nation is earnestly waiting for you to provide the intelligence on the whereabouts of the Chibok girls. Yesterday, I had a meeting with the parents of the Chibok girls and we want the air force to locate and provide credible intelligence while the ground forces will develop tactics and strategy to recover them, so we all wish you the best in 2016.”
Colonel Sani Usman, the acting director of army public relations, said the MPC has the capacity to simultaneously interface, from anywhere in Nigeria, with both air and ground troops at the frontline. Flanked by the chief of defence staff General Gabriel Olanisakin, the chief of army staff Lt General Tukur Buratai and other service chiefs, President Buhari also gave instruction to Major General Lucky Irabor, the deputy theatre commander if Operation Lafiya Dole.
“I hope you have been able to cope in spite of the weather over there as I know it is dusty and cold and from the situation report I have received, I am really impressed and I thank you and congratulate you for doing your best within the circumstances. Thank you very much indeed.
.
“We are all concerned here about the troops performance and I hope they are in touch with their families back at home and I hope everybody is fine there. I assure you that government is doing its best to ensure that troops are provided the best that is possible in terms of military hardware and ensure efficiency in logistics and we have ensured that you are paid your allowances so that your families will be happy back in the barracks," president said.
Done with the ground troops commander, the MCP was switched to connect with air force troops that were airborne and carrying out surveillance. From inside his aircraft, the commander Air Vice Marshall Isiaka Amao briefed President Buhari live on the ongoing air patrol being carried over Bita, Izge and Gwoza.
Comments
Post a Comment