We’re working with Niger Republic to crush Lukarawa terror group — COAS

Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Olufemi Oluyede on Monday met with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, noting afterwards that the nation’s armed forces are working with their counterparts in the Niger Republic to crush the emerging insurgents in the North-West, the Lukarawa terror group.

Speaking with correspondents after the meeting with the president, he said the northern neighbours had to collaborate with Nigeria because the insurgents would flee to the Niger Republic once they are hit hard in Nigeria.

Oluyede said he would approach the fight against insecurity in Nigeria in a different way to make the country better.

He said: “Well we have to get in touch with them (Niger Republic) because you know it affects them too. That is why we all need to come on board to tackle them (Lukarawas).

“We are hitting them hard at the Nigerian end and what is expected is that once you hit them hard at this end they will flee to the Niger Republic.

“So, now that Niger Republic is coming on board that means very soon, Lukarawas will be a thing of the past.”

The army chief, who said he was in the president’s office to seek his support for his security initiative, said he had toured some military formations to impress on the officers the need to end insecurity in the country.

Speaking on the visit, he stated: “Well, in a way it’s related to my appointment. I am here to reassure Mr. President that I will do my best to make Nigeria better in terms of security and that I’m going to explore doing this maybe in a different way. “I’ll get some other results that will make Nigeria better.

“That’s my major aim of coming and to seek his support, which he’s been doing over the years, and I expect him he will support us to do better.”

On the visit to formations, Gen. Oluyede said: “Well, I actually visited two formations, that is the one in the northwest, a division and the theatre operations in the northeast.

“Well, basically, I was there to speak with my officers and soldiers and to make them realise that there is a need to end all these forms of insecurity in Nigeria, and I made a bold to tell them that I will do things differently and I expect better results going forward.”

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