Renewed insurgent attacks in North-East are temporary, Military remains in control — CDS Musa

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, has downplayed recent waves of Boko Haram and ISWAP attacks on military bases and communities in Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa states, describing them as “an eclipse” that will soon be suppressed.

General Musa gave the assurance on Thursday during an operational assessment visit to the Theatre Command of Operation Hadin Kai at the Maimalari Cantonment, Maiduguri, alongside top security chiefs.

In the past two months, armed insurgents have overrun several military formations in Sabon Gari, Buni-Gari, Izge, Yamtake, Wulgo, Marte, and Rann, dislodging troops and attacking communities, leaving scores of civilians, soldiers, and insurgents dead or wounded.

The Defence Chief first visited Giwa Barracks in Maiduguri, where he inspected damage caused by recent explosions at the military armoury attributed to intense heat waves.

Speaking to journalists after a closed-door meeting with the Theatre Commander, Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, and other senior officers, General Musa assured that the military remained firmly in charge of the security situation.

“The recent pockets of attacks should not be a cause for alarm. The military and security agencies are firmly in control,” Musa said. “Security is not a one-man business. I appeal to everyone to join the fight against Boko Haram, ISWAP, banditry, kidnapping, and other forms of criminality for the peace and development of our country.”

He urged journalists to focus on reporting the military’s operational successes rather than granting publicity to insurgents.

The CDS explained that the surge in attacks is a spillover effect of increased military pressure in the Sahel, which has forced fleeing terrorists to target vulnerable communities and border regions in Nigeria’s North-East.

“This is an eclipse caused by pressure on terrorists in the Sahel region. We are working diligently to address these challenges, and new strategies are in place to neutralize them,” he stated.

General Musa revealed that Nigeria has recently acquired advanced military hardware which, alongside new operational tactics, will soon be deployed to end the insurgency.

He reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment under President Bola Tinubu to restoring peace and stability across the country.