June 5, 2018

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai has restated that the ongoing “Operation Last Hold’’ in Borno North and Lake Chad Basin is “primarily aimed at relocating IDPs to their communities.’’

Buratai made the remark when he inaugurated a 20-man committee for the 2018 “Nigerian Army Day Celebration – NADCEL’’ billed to hold between July 1 and July 6 in Borno North.

The committee is also to work toward the success of the ongoing operation.

It is chaired by Maj-Gen. David Ahmadu, the Chief of Training and Operations, with one member each from Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.

The four-month long “operation last hold’’ was launched on May 1.

“Let me state here that operation last hold is primarily aimed at relocating IDPs from their various camps to their country home.

“We want to quickly see that they re-establish their lives again through the reconstruction of their homes which the Nigerian army engineers will give them the support.

“We will also support them to clear their farms and provide security, while going to and fro their farms.

“I want you to take particular note of the need to be very fast in executing this very important assignment, the NADCEL in conjunction with the operation last hold.

“The rainy season is fast approaching and the need for us to move quickly to resettle the people back in their ancestral homes is very, very critical at this point.

“We want them to take advantage of the rainy season to plant the crops,’’ Buratai charged members of the committee.

On NADCEL, the army chief noted that members were selected based on their positions, as well as competence and charged them to make the 2018 edition the best so far.

According to him, the Nigerian army innovative exploits will be showcased during the celebration through a trade fair.

“We are also going to display our capabilities in terms of our equipment holding,’’ he said, adding both local and international military equipment manufacturers would exhibit their wares during the celebration.