Some of the combatants who heaved a sigh of relief on Monday following their redeployment from the battlefield had fought the counter-insurgency war in the North East for at least five years.

A mini de-induction ceremony was held in their honour at the Headquarters of the 7 Division in Maimalari Barracks in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

In his remarks, the Acting General Officer Commanding 7 Division, Brigadier General Abdul-Khalifa Ibrahim, commended the soldiers for their outstanding performance.

He urged them to remain disciplined as they leave the war zone to reunite with their respective families and other members of the public.

According to Brigadier General Ibrahim, the battalion will be de-inducted further at the Nigerian Army School of Infantry Jaji, Kaduna State.

He, therefore, encouraged them to go on courses to improve their professionalism and chances of promotion in the service.

“When you go back, the way you will interact with the civil populace is different from what you have been doing fighting Boko Haram,” the GOC told the soldiers.

He added, “You must take into consideration attributes that we expect a soldier to have – discipline, integrity, respect for others, courage, and the rest.

“We don’t want you to go and start fighting people and say you have come from the North East.”

One of the major achievements recorded by troops of the 192 Battalion was their participation in the liberation of Gwoza, a town in southern Borno, five years ago.

Although it is not clear how many of them were originally posted to the North East, a total of 55 soldiers were debriefed.