Following the bravery display by Nigerian soldiers to reclaim Baga from Boko Haram insurgents, the Olowu of Kuta, Oba Adekunle Makama, has hailed the gallantry of the soldiers on their efforst
The monarch also commiserates with the Nigerian Army over the loss of two lives and five injured soldiers during the battle to reclaim the town from Boko Haram.
He said Nigerian Army soldiers deserve more than accolade in their efforts to ensure the country is safe from insurgent.
The monarch in his statement made available to our correspondent ssaid the Special Forces fought gallantly and forced the insurgents to retreat.
He added that the impressive result by the Nigeria Army deserves not only commendation but also wide publicity to boost the morale of the gallant soldiers. The traditional ruler said that such publicity would weaken the strength of the insurgents and distabilise their camp. “It is not fair that our gallant soldiers are only reported when they record casualties. “They are our ambassadors who by choice decide to lay down their lives for our dear country. “For this reason, they should be respected with commensurate attention.
“The news coming from Baga, a major commercial centre in Borno State, is a good one, which indicates that the end of the battle is gradually in sight,” the monarch maintained.
He however urged the federal government to strengthen Nigerian troop with necessary equipment to bring the war to end earlier than expected.
The monarch also praised the Nigerian Army authorities for their transparent disposition towards verification of the Army’s budgetary allocation as requested by Civil Society Organizations. Makama noted that the Freedom of Information Act does not compel public servants to reveal state secrets or give information, especially when it has to do with national security issue, but applauded the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen Tukur Buratai for his maturity. “With this development, Buratai has again demonstrated that the Nigerian Army is genuinely determined to end this war through transparent dealings. “This is the first time in the history of the Army to subject its budget to such verification called for by civil society groups. “Our duty as Nigerian citizens is to keep faith in our army and this is a way to give them confidence that their people back home are solidly behind them,” Makama said. Legit.ng had reported that Boko Haram group affiliated with the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP), has suffered huge casualties in Baga from troops of the newly formed Nigerian Army Special Forces Command (NASFC), Operation Lafiya Dole. The spokesperson of the Nigeria Army, Brigadier General SK Usman, in a statement on Thursday, has said the troops, particularly 707 Special Forces Brigade, dealt a decisive blow that killed several terrorists along Baga axis despite prior warning to them by some unpatriotic elements. He said the soldiers who are in high spirit had since linked up with other forces in Baga where they cleared the Naval Base and the surrounding areas, but lost a soldier and an officer while five others sustained injuries.
