The
Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, on Monday in Maiduguri, the Borno
State capital, unveiled the poster bearing photographs of 55 most wanted Boko
Haram members, including their supposed leader, Abubakar Shekau.
The
poster, with inscription written in English, Hausa and Kanuri languages, is the
third edition of such posters. It has phone numbers which members of the public
could call or send text messages to indicate which of the characters in the
photographs they know or have information about.
Displaying
the poster at the headquaters of Operation
Lafiya Dole, Buratai recalled that the first and second editions
comprising 202 terrorists were launched last year.
He
said that many terrorists in the first and second editions were either
identified and arrested or killed during operations.
The
COAS added that the new poster also included photographs of some of the other
insurgents already in the past editions but not arrested.
According
to him, members of the public that have any credible information on any of the
wanted terrorists should call any of the phone numbers printed on the posters,
noting that the information given would be treated discreetly and
professionally.
Buratai
said, “I am appealing to the members of the public to come out with information
that would assist in the arrest of these terrorists. The 55 Boko Haram members
declared wanted have their faces on the poster. The members of the public
should look at the poster very well and report appropriately.”
The
army chief noted that the troops had recorded “milestone victory” in the
ongoing counter-insurgency operations as hundreds of the Boko Haram members had
surrendered.
Buratai,
who commended the Nigerian Army for keeping to the desired task of defeating
the terrorists, implored the troops not to be discouraged by the recent
casualty the military suffered during a recent ambush laid by the insurgents.
“We
cannot afford to lose the fight because we are better trained and equipped in
every capacity. The whole nation is behind us, Mr. President is with us. So,
let us remain steadfast in this noble cause. Be courageous, we must degrade and
defeat the terrorists entirely. It is a job that must be done. We must
make our country men and women proud,” he added.
Source:The Punch
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Politics