The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-General Tukur Yusuf Buratai has said that Boko Haram still have some sympathizers and collaborators amongst the people in the locality, especially in the North East where the terrorism hold sway.
Speaking in an interview today, Sunday with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the Chief of Army Staff appealed to Borno people to expose the collaborators and indeed, the perpetrators of the dastardly and inhuman act of the Boko Haram.
“Definitely, there is no way you will say that these suicide bombers, who are teenagers, young girls, some even under-age can move in from wherever they are strapped into the town except with the guidance of someone within the town or vicinity.
“We still suspect that there are some sympathisers and collaborators or some members that have sneaked into town hiding and they direct these would-be suicide bombers to targeted areas.
“The issue of suicide bombing is an issue of intelligence which we are working in collaboration with other security agencies and indeed with the civil authority to see how this can be addressed quickly.”
General Buratai said that the “key area” from where the insurgents have been launching suicide bombing has been cleared by troops in conjunction with other security agencies, saying that this has reduced the incidents of suicide bombings in the last couple of days in Borno, particularly Maiduguri.
“By and large, I tell you it – suicide bombing has been reduced drastically. In the last three days, there has been no Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) attack or suicide attacks and this, we hope it will continue.
“They may decide to come but we are able to take out one key area that we are even suspecting, our troops were able to clear them in conjunction with other security agencies.
“I won’t say at this stage that we have been able to make breakthroughs in respect of suicide bombing, but we have made substantial progress and we hope it will be sustained,’’ Buratai said.
He said that suicide bombing must be stopped once and for all even as he said that having won the war, there is the need to also win the peace.
He said that this required the collaboration of the military, other security agencies and the people.
(NAN). [myad]
