Minister of Defence, Muhammad Dan-Ali; Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Gabriel Olonisakin; Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Abubakar Sadiq and other military chiefs spent their Christmas feting soldiers battling the Boko Haram insurgents in Damaturu and Yola.
The Minister of Defence assured the troops that their welfare is of paramount importance to the federal government and asked them to respect the rights of the locals in communities where they wage war.
“While your welfare needs are being addressed, I urge you to continue to adhere to all the rules of engagement in your operations because all your actions and inactions will be accounted for,” Dan-Ali said in apparent reference to allegations that soldiers used disproportionate force against a Muslim sect in Zaria.
Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Gabriel Olonisakin asked the soldiers not to rest on their oars as they wind down on the war with the insurgents.
“We are gradually moving into 2016, therefore, we must not rest on our oars to win the war.
“As we move into 2016 I want to enjoin you to be more determined to reclaim all lost territories, that is the charge and demand on all of you as we enter the New Year.
“On our part we will do our best to ensure that all logistics and welfare required to prosecute the war to a logical conclusion are provided,” he said.
Tukur Buratai and Air Marshall Abubakar Sadiq both said the security situation in the troubled north east has vastly improved and that the terrorists are now incapable of acts of land grab; with attacking soft targets now their modus operandi.
The post Defence minister and military chiefs spend Christmas with troops on the front-lines appeared first on Ekekeee.