By Chimezie Godfrey
Nigeria’s counter-insurgency campaign in the North East is yielding tangible results, with over 16,000 terrorists surrendering and thousands of leaders eliminated, the military has said.
The Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, Maj-Gen Abdulsalam Abubakar disclosed this during a briefing with Defence Correspondents in Maiduguri.
He said coordinated operations have restored confidence among civilians and reopened economic corridors.
“People are returning to their ancestral homes. That is the true measure of success,” he said.
The commander highlighted humanitarian escorts, farm patrols and waterway clearance as critical to restoring livelihoods.
“Security is not just about guns; it is about allowing people to live normal lives again,” he added.
He reaffirmed the military’s commitment to transparency and partnership with the media.
“We will continue to keep our doors open so Nigerians know exactly what their Armed Forces are doing,” he said.
Confirming the claims by the military, during a visit to the Molai Forward Operating Base (FOB), a community leader, Bulama Yunus, commended the military for the relative peace enjoyed by residents, declaring that there have been no cases of terrorist attacks in recent times.
”We have peace, no boko-haram attack, there is no problem anywhere. We go to farm, market, and our businesses without any problem,” Yunus declared.
He revealed that elders of the community, as well as traditional rulers, are making efforts to advise youths to desist from engaging in acts of terrorism.
Yunus commended the Armed Forces of Nigeria, the Chief of Defence Staff, and other military leaders for restoring normalcy in Borno State. He prayed for God’s protection for the CDS and the entire Armed Forces.
He further revealed that the Borno State Government reconstructed their houses.