We’ve Defeated Insurgency, But Terrorism Will Remain In Nigeria For Many Years — Buratai

Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai, has revealed why there are still challenges and attacks inspite of defeating insurgency.

Buratai disclosed that members of Boko Haram having been dislodged from their base in the North-east, are now scattered all over the country.

This disclosure was made by the military top officer while granting interview with THISDAY and Arise News Channel.

Buratai said the military has defeated insurgency in the North-east, but is now facing the challenge of terrorism.

He revealed that Boko Haram members are everywhere in the country, including Lagos, adding that there are more across the North-east.

The Army chief insisted that even though insurgency had been defeated, terrorism would remain in the country for years.

He said: “We have defeated insurgency, but facing the challenge of terrorism. “There is no where you will not find Boko Haram – even in Lagos here, there are Boko Hatam. In Kaduna, there are Boko Haram. There are more across the North-east. Many have been arrested here in Lagos. We have been tracking them. We arrest them and take them into custody.

Buratai stressed that “We must differentiate between insurgency and terrorism. I have tried to tell them at the National Assembly. Someone said three local governments are under Boko Haram. How? These guys are not controlling any territory.

“They attempted to establish their territory, caliphate in Gwoza but they have not been able to because they were flushed out. That is insurgency. They are not holding any territory.

“Typically, that is the end if insurgency. But what of terrorism? Terrorism will outlive you and me and probably everybody in this house because terrorism, since it started, just like armed robbery, like kidnapping, burglary, cultism, it would continue, he added.

These are all smaller parts of terrorism. It is when it goes higher that you have arsons, like it happened in Borno yesterday, murder and so on deliberately, no cause.