Insurgency: Defence Ministers Charge Troops On Professionalism 

The Minister of Defence, Muhammad Badaru Abubakar, and the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, have paid an operational visit to the Theatre Command of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) in Maiduguri, Borno State, charging troops at the battlefields to uphold professionalism.

The ministers were accompanied by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa; Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja; Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, and Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI), Maj.-Gen. Emmanuel Undiandeye.

The spokesperson to the minister of state for Defence, Comrade Anas Abdullahi, in a statement shared with journalists, said the ministers were in Maiduguri with the high-level delegation of the Service Chiefs assigned by President Bola Tinubu to assess the security situation in the theatre of operations.

“President Tinubu asked us to visit the governor, the good people of Borno, and our patriotic officers here in Borno to see and hear from them what is happening both on the frontlines and in the cities.

“What is the progress being made, and what do we need to do more to support their operations?

“We had frank discussions with Governor Babagana Zulum before coming here, where we discussed the way forward, and it is our resolve that in no distant future, we will see the end of the insecurity,” the ministers were quoted as saying.

The Ministers also charged troops of OPHK to remain professional in their conduct and imbibe the warrior ethos in the ongoing Counter Terrorism and Counter Insurgency (CTCOIN) operations even as they reiterated the commitment of the federal government to the welfare of servicemen and the families of those who lost their lives in service to the nation.

Furthermore, the Ministers embarked on an inspection visit to 7 Division medical services and hospital in Maimalari Barracks.

The Ministers reassured that Nigeria under the leadership of President Tinunu will continue to place high premium on the welfare of troops and provision of all necessary logistics to deal with security challenges effectively.