Military relocates command centre to Borno

Firstclass newsline learnt that the military authorities have, in
compliance with President Muhammadu Buhari's May 29 directive, started
moving their command centre to Maiduguri, Borno State, to combat
the activities of Islamist militant group, Boko Haram.
A statement by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Sani Usman,
on Monday, stated that the advance team had already commenced work in
earnest.
The team, which comprises officers and men drawn from the Office of
the Chief of Army Staff, all the relevant Army Headquarters
Departments and other combat support personnel, is led by a two-star
General.
Buhari had during his inaugural address ordered the command centre be
moved to Borno State to give bite to the fight against insurgency.
The President had said, "The most immediate is Boko Haram insurgency.
Progress has been made in recent weeks by our security forces but
victory cannot be achieved by basing the Command and Control Centre in
Abuja.
"The command centre will be relocated to Maiduguri and remain there
until Boko Haram is completely subdued.''
Usman explained in the statement that the centre was an
"elaboration" of an existing Army headquarters command and control
arrangement.
The statement reads, "In compliance with the presidential
pronouncement and the Chief of Army Staff's directive, a
reconnaissance and advance team for the establishment of Military
Command and Control Centre forOperation ZamanLafiyafor the fight
against terrorism and insurgency has moved to Maiduguri, Borno State.
"The team, which is led by a two-star General, has already commenced
work in earnest and it is comprised of elements of the Office of the
CAS, all the relevant Army headquarters departments and other combat
support components. The centre will serve as a forward command base
for the CAS and other service chiefs."
The military stated that the centre would not create another layer
of command structure, but would add impetus and renewed vigour
toOperation Zaman Lafiya,which is "aimed at bringing terrorism and
insurgency to an end."
It added that an alternate command centre was also being established
in Yola, Adamawa State.
Meanwhile, Buhari has sought greater support and cooperation from
France and other friendly nations for his administration's ongoing
efforts to overcome the Boko Haram challenge and restore normalcy to
the North-East.
Specifically, Buhari said on Monday that Nigeria would appreciate more
intelligence on the sect's link with the Islamic States of Iraq and
Syria.
He made the request at a meeting he had with President Francois
Hollande of France after his participation in Monday's G-7 Outreach
Programme, in Elmau, Germany.
Buhari, in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and
Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, said his administration would also
appreciate more intelligence on the sect's movements, training and
sources of arms and ammunition.
He said the intelligence was necessary to facilitate the perfection of
fresh tactics and strategies being evolved to overcome terrorism and
insurgency in the country and the West African sub-region.
The President reaffirmed his government's commitment to ending Boko
Haram insurgency in the shortest possible time.
He said his administration was already taking some concrete actions to
build a more efficient and effective coalition of Nigeria and
neighbouring countries against Boko Haram.
Buhari also reiterated at the talks with his French counterpart that
there was absolutely no link between religion and the atrocities of
Boko Haram.
"There is clearly no religious basis for the actions of the group.
Their atrocities show that members of the group either do not know God
at all or they don't believe in him," he said.
Hollande was said to have commended Buhari's efforts to galvanise
Nigeria's armed forces, security agencies and neighouring countries
for more decisive actions against Boko Haram.
The French leader assured Buhari that France would give Nigeria and
its coalition partners greater support against terrorism and
insecurity.
He also called for greater bilateral cooperation between Nigeria and
France in other areas including trade, economic and cultural
relations.
Buhari also received similar pledges of enhanced support from Prime
Minister Stephen Harper of Canada and Chancellor Angela Merkel who he
also conferred with before departing from the venue of the G-7 2015
Summit.
The President is due back in Abuja early on Tuesday(today).
Firstclassnewsline.net