From Tom Garba, Yola
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Yusuf Butarai, has embarked on peace sensitization tour to enhance a violence free society with a view to bringing peaceful coexistence in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states which are Boko Haram most hit areas.
The representative of the Chief of Army staff, Col. Victory Olatunji from the Army headquarters Abuja, who explained that the exercise was aimed at creating a forum of interaction between military and the civil actors within and outside operational environment of the military.
Buratai, who spoke on the topic, “The need for civil, military cooperation” said it was “to bring understanding between the commandant and the civil actors that are operating within the operational theatre.”
He urge the civil society, local communities and the NGOs to provide the military with accurate information that will aid the fight against insurgency in the country.
Speaking at the De-radicalization exercise, the commandant 23 Armoured Brigade Yola, Col. ABA Popoola, said the delegation from the Army headquarters came with the mission to sensitise the civil community of the new approach of the military for lasting peace in the communities.
He added “that fighting insurgency is a joint effort of both the military and the civilians, as such all hand must be on deck to make sure a sustainable and a lasting peace is achieve.”
The Lamido of Adamawa, Dr Mohamnadu Barkindo Aliyu Mustapha, who was represented by the District Head of Jimeta, Alhaji Mohammad Inuwa Baba Paris, commended the military for coming up with a laudable programme that will help in sustaining peace in the communities.
Paris also enjoin the military to come up with a forum for traditional rulers to cooperate and give useful information to the military.
The seminar included a demonstration of how improvise explosives devices were used against civilian by insurgents by Col. S. Ibrahim.
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