In a letter written to the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole Major General Olusegun Adeniyi, the COAS said the renewed zeal shown by Nigerian troops battling Boko Haram and the Islamic State for West African Province (ISWAP) in the North-east, as well as the menace of the terrorists and their criminalities reignited his hope of insurgency ending soon.

The statement released on Friday by the acting Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Sagir Musa reads in full;

CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF CONGRATULATES GALLANT TROOPS OF OPERATION LAFIYA DOLE, SAYS HE IS NOW MORE CONFIDENT OF THE TROOPS THAN EVER BEFORE TO ENDING BOKO HARAM TERRORISTS/ISLAMIC STATE’s WEST AFRICA PROVINCE MENACE
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Nigerian Army, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusufu Buratai, has congratulated the Theatre Commander, Sector Commanders, Super Camps Commanders, Commanding Officers, as well as the gallant Officers and soldiers serving in OPERATION LAFIYA DOLE, for their gallantry that manifested in the unprecedented successes recorded in the Theatre recently. The congratulatory message and commendations were contained in a letter to the Theatre Commander, OPERATION LAFIYA DOLE, Major General Olusegun Adeniyi, personally signed by the COAS himself. In the letter, the COAS showered encomiums on the troops and their commanders for the rare display of courage, gallantry and patriotism that led to the decimation of the leadership and ranks of the criminal Boko Haram terrorists and their affiliate ISWAP in various parts of the Theatre.
An obviously elated Lieutenant General TY Buratai, said that he has never been so happy and proud of the gallant troops in their concerted efforts of ending the menace of the criminal Boko Haram terrorists’ group and ISWAP. He urged them to continue to dominate the Theatre and maintain high standard of professionalism. He also implored them never to allow the terrorists any breathing space or freedom of action anywhere as they continued to discharge their legitimate duties. The COAS further thanked them for the renewed efforts that brought more confidence and hope in the troops by Nigerians. He also stated that he has foreseen that with the renewed zeal, it is just matter of days to end the menace of Boko Haram terrorists and contain their criminality. He stated that his confidence in total victory has further been rekindled by the dogged determination of the troops on the ground. I am more confident now than ever before with your current robust posture that you will end the BHT/ISWAP menace in no distance time.” He also reminded the troops that they have done it before, and they will do it again without any foreign troops around.”

Nigerian Army’s Acting Director of Public Relations, Colonel Sagir Musa stated that the ongoing operation positive identification is intelligence driven, deliberate and a targeted operation in the northeast region.

The statement reads “following the widespread apprehension on the purported Nigerian Army (NA) operation positive identification from 1 November to 23 December 2019, as mischievously peddled on the social media by a hitherto unknown and fictitious organization, the so-called Bricks Company, which alleges that the NA will conduct the operation and went ahead to state how the operation will be conducted by the Army. Specifically, Bricks alleges that residents shall witness large numbers of uniformed Nigerian Army personnel parading the roads in an exercise known as OPI. The NA wishes to inform members of the public that it has nothing to do with the so-called Bricks Company and its illusionary OPI; it is not an Army operation and the NA does not create any operation with such name or abbreviation in all its operations across the nation in a manner maliciously presented by the so-called Bricks Company. Similarly, NA has never issued press release through private companies or third parties because it has a full -fledged Directorate that coordinates its public relations and Information aspects which has a robust cordial working relationship with the press. Recall that in order to compliment the ongoing operation in the Northeast, NA has an ongoing operation positive identification which is intelligence driven, deliberate, targeted operation and not an independent operation but is integral and complimentary to Operation LAFIYA DOLE in the Northeast. The aim of the operation is to arrest all those terrorists fleeing or escaping the war zone/Theatre of operation to a safe haven or peaceful areas in Nigeria. Members of the public are hereby enjoined to discountenance the hitherto faceless and mischievous Bricks company and its alleged NA OPI. The NA wishes to use this opportunity to enjoin all Nigerians to cooperate with the NA and indeed all other security agencies by giving credible information that will assist in the identification and eventual arrest of the fleeing criminals/terrorists in any part of our beloved country.”