BY ABDULLAH ISAH, MAIDUGURI
The Defence Headquarters has, as part of efforts being made to restructure and reposition Operation Lafiya Dole in the North East zone for more efficiency and effectiveness, appointed Major General Hassan Umoru as the new Commander of the operation.
The Defence headquarters in a statement signed by the Acting Director, Defence Information, Brigadier General Rabe Abubakar said that “ Until his appointment, General Umoru was the General Officer Commanding, 3 Division Nigerian Army. Also appointed is the Deputy Theatre Commander who is Major General Lucky Irabor.”
This is as the troops of the Nigerian Army foiled another move by the insurgents to invade Buratai town of Biu local government area of Borno state, the home town of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Yusuf Buratai, killing scores of the insurgents in the process.
A member of the Vigilante, Abdullahi Danbanaga, who spoke to our Correspondent on phone from Miringa town, said the insurgents who attempted to attack Buratai suffered heavy casualties, as they were intercepted and repelled by the Nigerian troops.
He said “the Army has done a great job. They intercepted the insurgents on their way into the town, near Buratai Primary school and serious dealt with them, as scores of them were killed and many others sustained injuries.
Danabaga further stated that the insurgents, who came at about 5:15 am on Saturday, were resisted by the military and pursued up to Kamuya village.
A security source in Biu who does not want his name in print confirmed the attack and the gallantry of the troops saying that “our men seriously dealt with the insurgents, as scores of them were killed, and we pursued them up to Kamuya but only 2 of our soldiers sustained injuries and have since been moved to Biu General hospital for treatment.”
A resident of the area who fled to Miringa town, told our Correspondent on phone that at exactly 5:12am they started hearing the sounds of gunshots intermittently and when they realized that it was an attack by Boko Haram they fled into the bushes and trekked down to Miringa town for safety.
