Buhari Receives Boko Haram Flag
President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday night received the Boko Haram flag, following the sack of the insurgents from their stronghold at “Camp Zero,” in Sambisa Forest, by troops of Operation Lafiya Dole.
The handover of the flag to Buhari by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai, who received it from the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj. Gen. Lucky Irabor, coincided with the 2016 end of year Regimental Dinner Night, organised by the Nigerian Army’s elite battalion, the Guards Brigade, in Abuja.
Shortly after the Nigerian military carried out a large-scale offensive in the Sambisa forest to smoke out the terrorists, Gen. Irabor, had disclosed that about 1, 240 suspected members of the terrorists were arrested during the operation.
Buhari who expressed delight over the crushing of the insurgents had, in his Christmas message to the troops last week, urged them to maintain the tempo by pursuing the terrorists and bringing them to justice.
In the message, which he personally signed, Buhari hailed the courage and resilience of the gallant troops, and called on Nigerians to cooperate and support the Nigerian Armed Forces, and other security agencies by providing useful information that will expose terrorists’ hideouts.
While receiving the flag, Buhari challenged the armed forces on the need to continue to ensure the survival of Nigeria as a geo-political entity despite what he described as “political madness’’ being exhibited in some parts of the country.
“We must do our best to build national institutions in the country. Keeping Nigeria one is a task that must be done, and that task lies on the shoulders of the military. All this political madness in the North East, the Niger Delta or in the East should not be allowed to cause divisions, or any form of tension in the country,” the president said.
He continued, “There are 250 ethnic groups, so keeping Nigeria one is a task that must be done, even for your personal reason, you must make sure this country remains united and stronger.”
He recalled how his resistance to succumb to the whims and caprices of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the World Bank to facilitate the devaluation of the naira and increase prices of fuel and flour as a military Head of State, led to his removal from office.
