The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru, has reiterated the commitment of the army to the total annihilation of Boko Haram from Nigeria.

Mr Attahiru said this on Thursday in an interview with reporters in Maiduguri.

The army chief said that Boko Haram had been defeated in many encounters and would continue to be defeated until they are totally annihilated from Nigeria.

“We will take on Boko Haram decisively, and we are committed to the focus of the operations which is the total annihilation of Boko Haram from Nigeria, ” Mr Attahiru said.

The COAS who was visiting the headquarters of Operation Lafiya Dole in Maiduguri for the fifth time since his appointment four months ago, said that the regular visit was to boost the morale of the troops, reassure them and listen to any issues affecting them.

Mr Attahiru also said that the visits were to reiterate President Buhari’s commitment that he would continue to provide them the needed resources they would require to execute the fight against insurgency and other violent groups across Nigeria.

Earlier while welcoming the COAS, the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Major General Farouq Yahaya, lauded the regular visit by the COAS which he said had continued to boost the morale of the troops.

“We are honoured, we are grateful, we are encouraged by those visits.

“You provided us guidance, logistics and other things we required. We are most grateful for those visits, ” Mr Yahaya said.

The COAS while in Borno interacted with the troops, held meetings with theatre and component commanders, and visited injured soldiers receiving treatment at the 7 Division Military Hospital.

(NAN)