The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has tagged Islamist sect Boko Haram attention seeking desperados, saying that the latest senseless killings by the outlawed sect are being done in order to get undeserved attention and not related to the latest changes in the military commands.
“Have you heard the terrorists giving any relationship between the changes and their recent attacks? Their activities should just be seen as consistent with the senseless desperation to get attention using the most horrendous means possible,” Director of Defence Information (DDI), Maj-Gen. Chris Olukolade told Thisday.
Communities in the Northeast states of Borno and Adamawa, both of which are under emergency rule, have witnessed renewed attacks in recent weeks.
62 people were killed last week as deadly attacks were launched on Konduga village in Borno State. The gunmen who perpetrated the attack reportedly returned to launch fresh attacks on the village two days later.
The second attack, which began hours after the Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Garbai Elkanemi, paid a visit to Konduga to commiserate with the people over Tuesday’s attack, were however said to have been effectively repelled by a combined team of soldiers and the members of the youth vigilante known as Civilian-JTF.
The newly appointed service Chiefs in the Nigerian Army, Navy and Air Force effected comprehensive changes of personnel, including six new General Officers Commanding (GOCs), Brigade commanders and similar positions.
This prompted some security analysts and experts to attribute the latest attacks in some parts of the Northeast to the recent changes, with some even tying it to Boko Haram response to a statement credited to the new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh that “Terrorism will end by April”, which was however later clarified in context.
Similarly, some have also expressed concern that the constant tinkering with military commands and structure, including massive movement of personnel and equipment would inflict huge financial loss to the coffers of the country.
Olubade however dismissed the insinuations and concerns saying, “There is no extraordinary cost implication as the system has inbuilt capacity to adjust for changes as they become necessary. It is simply out of place for anyone to try to draw irrelevant parallels towards making insinuations on military postings.
“Every serious military personnel must be ever ready to move as duty demands. The families are equally attuned,” he said.
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