Buhari Moves Military Command to Borno to End Boko Haram

President Muhammadu Buhari has issued one of his first directives. After being sworn in as President, he wasted no time in announcing that the Nigerian Military Command will be moving from Abuja to Maiduguri,  the capital of Borno State, in order to fight Boko Haram.

Maiduguri has been the epicenter of the battle against Boko Haram. It is also where about 200 Chibok girls were abducted and still have not been returned. Maiduguri has also been subjected to unrelenting attacks and suicide bombings for several years.

While giving the directive to the miliary, President Buhari said:

“The command centre will be relocated to Maiduguri and remain until Boko Haram is completely subdued. But we can not claim to have defeated Boko Haram without rescuing the Chibok girls and all other innocent persons held hostage by insurgents.”

President Buhari, by issuing this policy change in his inaugural address, is sending the message that restoring security from Boko Haram will be a major priority for his administration. This move is believed to improve the coordination of the military in carrying out counter-attacks against the terrorists.

He blamed the previous government for allowing the terrorists grow wild. “Through official bungling, negligence, complacency or collusion Boko Haram became a terrifying force taking tens of thousands of lives and capturing several towns and villages covering swathes of Nigerian sovereign territory.”