Nigerian troops remain vigilant in spite of Boko Haram defeat: army chief

Nigerian troops operating in restive northeast region will remain vigilant in spite of the defeat of the Boko Haram terrorists, Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai said Friday.

"You all know the effort we are making in the North East and indeed in all parts of the country. We have taken initiative and we will continue to maintain this initiative with the defeat of the Boko Haram terrorists," Buratai said when he led officers and men on a new year exercise in Abuja, the nation's capital.

"Let me use this opportunity to congratulate you for performing excellently well in the year, 2016," he added.

Buratai, who stressed the need for exercise and training, also urged the personnel to brace for the challenges that may arise in 2017 and urged them to improve on the successes recorded in 2016.

Meanwhile, some repentant Boko Haram members on Thursday appealed to their fellow sect members still in Sambisa forest to lay down their arms and embrace peace.

Maj.- Gen. Lucky Irabor, the Theater Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, said four of the repentant Boko Haram terrorists were from Mamman Nur's camp, while six were from the Abubakar Shekau faction.

Irabor said so far, over 1,400 people had been rescued by the military during the counter-insurgency operations in the northeast.

He said the repentant sect members would undergo a de-radicalization program to enable them to become responsible citizens. Endit