The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Olufemi Oluyede, has said that ending the Boko Haram insurgency requires active participation and cooperation from residents of Borno and Yobe states.
Papers News reports that Oluyede made the call on Wednesday in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, during his operational visit alongside the Chief of Army Staff, Waidi Shaibu.
The visit followed a directive by President Bola Tinubu, who ordered the military chiefs to relocate to the North-East to take direct control of the worsening security situation.
The directive came in the wake of multiple explosions that rocked parts of Borno State, leaving several persons dead and others injured.
‘Terrorists Are Among You’
Addressing residents of the North-East, Oluyede stressed that the insurgency could not be defeated without local involvement, noting that many perpetrators are known within their communities.
“I want to put it clearly this afternoon that for us to end this act of terrorism, the people of Borno State and Yobe must take ownership of this problem,” he said.
“Bulk of people perpetrating this heinous act are from these states, they are our brothers, sisters, cousins and we know them.”
He cited a recent attack in Kukawa to buttress his point.
“For example, when Kukawa was attacked, and we were conducting cordon and search afterward, we realised that two of the people that came to attack Kukawa were those inside that village. That means they are accomplices,” he added.
The CDS emphasised that defeating insurgency requires collective resolve, urging communities to play an active role in identifying and exposing criminals.
“We must take ownership of this crisis. That is my message to the people of Yobe and Borno,” he insisted.
On the increasing sophistication of attacks, particularly the use of drones by insurgents, Oluyede said the military was adapting to the changing tactics.
“It’s something that is evolving, and we are responding with German drones and we are getting more of the drones,” he disclosed.
Papers News reports that decent weeks have seen a resurgence of attacks by Boko Haram fighters targeting both military formations and civilian communities in the North-East.
The development has heightened concerns over security in the region, prompting renewed military efforts and federal intervention aimed at curbing the insurgency.
