Retired Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, former Chief of Army Staff, has stressed the urgency for military authorities to expedite counter-insurgency operations in order to bring an end to the conflict in the Lake Chad Basin Region. 

This assertion was made by Buratai during the 1st International Conference hosted by the Department of History and Strategic Studies at the University of Maiduguri in Borno State.

Buratai commended the military for their commitment and endeavours in combating insurgent groups, emphasizsng the imperative of preventing the conflict from lingering, akin to the protracted conflicts witnessed in Colombia and Sri Lanka.

Highlighting the indispensable role of military operations, the former Chief of Staff emphasised the necessity of a coordinated approach involving military intelligence, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Police, and collaboration with local authorities to effectively tackle the security challenges prevalent in the region.

“We are of the belief that the conflict should be swiftly resolved and not protracted like those witnessed in Colombia and Sri Lanka”, he remarked.

Buratai also mentioned that under his leadership, troops were able to reclaim nine local government areas in Borno within a span of five months.

In his address, Prof. Aliyu Shugaba, the Vice-Chancellor of the University, underscored the resilience of the University of Maiduguri in confronting and overcoming four consecutive attacks by suicide bombers on the campus.