Crush IPOB, Boko Haram, others now, Buhari orders military

President Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday directed the military chiefs and heads of other security agencies in the country to immediately tame threats to the peace and unity of the nation.

He gave the directive during a three-hour closed-door meeting with the service chiefs, including the Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel Olonishakin; ‎Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar; and Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas who was represented.

Also at the meeting were the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris; National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj. Gen. Babagana Mongunu (rtd) and the Director-General of Department of State Services (DSS), Lawal Daura.

Briefing State House correspondents after the meeting, Gen. Olonishakin said the directive by President Buhari was for the military to checkmate the Boko Haram menace in the north east and the activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in the South East. He said they were further directed to protect the unity of the country as well as lives and property of Nigerians wherever they reside.

Specifically, he said, the security chiefs were charged by the president to enhance their operational strategies and ensure that troops carry out their assignments diligently.

On whether there was a directive from President Buhari on the activities of IPOB, the CDS said: “All security threats were treated one after the other, ranging from terrorism to kidnapping, herdsmen/farmers clash and IPOB issue. Comments were made as to what to do as regards those issues.”

On the renewed onslaught against Boko Haram, he said, “On the Boko Haram issue, you all know it is an asymmetric warfare. It is not that the Boko Haram have stepped up their game, it is just the issue of suicide bombing that has been the problem. We are working with the security agencies and the intelligence agencies to make sure that we address that menace,” he said.