Borno Gov Advises Service Chiefs On Defeating Terrorism

Borno State governor, Babagana Zulum, has urged the Service Chiefs to embrace fair and constructive criticism made in good faith to enhance their productivity.

The governor disclosed this when the service chiefs paid him courtesy call at the Government House on Sunday.

He said; “In democratic settings, the military is an establishment which is subject to constructive criticisms by well meaning citizens. Therefore, you are expected to accept such criticisms in good faith with a view to enhancing the productivity in your operations”.

According to him, for the military to achieve success, there should be robust coordination and collaboration between different security agencies, particularly between the Nigerian Army and the Airforce.

Speaking further, he said that the military should ensure continued and sustained operations to deny insurgents breathing space by blocking all routes to avoid terrorists moving from one region to another.

Zulum also called on the Service Chiefs to establish aggressive collaboration with armed forces in neighboring countries of Chad, Cameroon and Niger Republic.

He advised the security chiefs to enhanced close ties between the military and civilian population to bridge trust deficit and increase military access to credible intelligence which, he said, was key to success in the fight against insurgency.

The governor therefore assured the military chiefs of his administration’s commitment and support to the armed forces by way of supplementing their efforts in the ongoing war.

Chief of Defence Staff, Major General Leo Irabor, led Chief of Army Staff, Major General Ibrahim Attahiru, Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo, and Air Vice Marshal Isiaka Oladayo Amao, the Chief of Air Staff.

On his part, General Leo Irabor assured that military operations will receive a boost in order to flush out insurgents completely.

He, however, craved the understanding of the civilian population in the fight against terrorism.