Army moves to secure nation’s borders

Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Tukur Burutai

The Nigerian Army, on Friday, inaugurated a Forward Operation Base (FOB) at Daura in Katsina State, as part of the measures to secure the nation’s borders with neighbouring countries.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, who inaugurated the FOB, said the sighting of the facility in Daura followed the “Order of Battle” approved by the Army Council in 2016.

“It is part of the re-organisation in the Nigerian Army. In 2016, the Army Council approved the new order of battle.

“This is part of the order of battle of the Nigerian Army to have an FOB in this place – Daura.

“So it is the overall review of the deployment and the strategic consideration of the Nigerian army and the military; in taking care of strategic locations by deploying such facility here,” Buratai.

Asked if there was any threat at the Daura axis, the army chief said: “Well, that is the analysis.

“You know, this Boko Haram terrorist group has been moving all over the place, especially along the borders. So, it is part of the consideration, it is part of the threat analysis.”

According to Buratai, there is the need to take care of the border areas right from the Lake Chad through Yobe, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, up to Sokoto.

He said that the establishment of the FOB was part of the strategic consideration, based on threat analysis, adding that more of such facility would be set up in the North East.