Army Relocates Operational Headquarters To Gudumbali

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Tukur Buratai has relocated the Operational headquarters of Army to Gudumbali in Guzamala local government area of Borno state due to the new wave of attacks being launched on troop’s bases by Boko Haram in a bid to retake Nigerian territories.

It was recalled that Gudumbali, one of the towns on the fringes of Lake Chad was attacked last weekend by scores of the terrorists who stormed the town with several pick-ups, gun trucks and were shooting at troops’ location with AA (Anti-Aircraft guns), which unsettled troops before the troops regrouped and foiled the terrorists attempt to take over the town.

However, Vanguard learnt that in a bid to finally curtail the recent sporadic attacks by the terrorists in the North East, the COAS has relocated his operations HQ to Gudumbali in Borno State.

A source said the Army Chief who is bent on getting first-hand information of happenings in the theater of operations is visiting all formations, units and forward operations bases and holding durbars (meetings) with troops excluding their Commanders to know if there are challenges.

“The idea is to get first-hand information from them about their welfare and other matters”. A strategy being employed by the Army Chief is what an officer called ‘Rapid Fire Unscheduled Visit’ which means formations and units are not given prior signals that the COAS is visiting, hence troops in the North East are at 24 hours alert and vigilance.

“As part of confidence building measures, Lt. General Buratai is also having series of meetings with the locals and village heads of the several locations he is visiting and it is also aimed at finally breaking the ‘nerve’ of Boko Haram” a source said.

“He stopped in every village and assured the inhabitants of their safety”. “In all the units visited he personally instructed the armorers to open the arms store to enable him physically inspect the weapons including support weapons in their inventories.

“This is to ascertain that they were very well equipped. Most of the weapons were also tested for serviceability. The unscheduled visit’s to the North East is to operational readiness of troops.

Meanwhile, a source has hinted Vanguard that Lt. General Buratai is presently leading a fighting force against several Boko Haram terrorists in one of their known hideouts on the fringes of Lake Chad.

“In all the units visited he personally instructed the armorers to open the arms store to enable him physically inspect the weapons including support weapons in their inventories. “This is to ascertain that they were very well equipped.

Most of the weapons were also tested for serviceability “He stopped in every village and assured the inhabitants of their safety”.

Meanwhile, a source has hinted Vanguard that Lt. General Buratai is presently leading a fighting force against several Boko Haram terrorists in one of their known hideouts on the fringes of Lake Chad.