Authorities of the Nigerian Army have rubbished claims by Boko Haram in a new video claiming that they are still holding territory in the North east and that they still remain a strong group.
Boko Haram in the new video showed the execution of three alleged Federal Government spies on its operations in the Northeast.
It beheaded one and shot two others with a Kalashnikov rifle.
The sect in the seven-minute video also accused the three spies of working for the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI) to infiltrate the group.
Boko Haram in the video displayed a large cache of high-grade military weapons, including what appeared to be anti-aircraft missiles.
The terrorists group also boasted that it has not been decimated as claimed by the Federal Government and remains in a place in Nigeria that the military could not “locate and recapture.”
The video, which was in Hausa and Arabic, was believed to have been released by the Abubakar Shekau factional Boko Haram leader.
However, responding through Brigadier General Sani Usman, Director Army Public Relations, the Army described the video as mere propaganda that cannot derail its ongoing operation.
Challenging the factionalized group to mention the part of Nigeria they are hiding, which cannot be recovered by the military, Usman said, “They are of no consequence. We are focusing on stabilization and consolidation of our counter-terrorism and counter insurgency operations.
“Now we have gone beyond the terrorists’ propaganda. Let them mention the part of Nigerian territory they are holding or hiding,” Usman said.
Meanwhile, Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, has instructed all General Officers Commanding (GOCs) military divisions in the country to do everything in their capacity to safeguard the unity, integrity and sovereignty of Nigeria.
Buratai who said this is a paramount task of their professional calling and constitutional mandate, implored the GOCs to remain focused and committed to the security challenges in the North-east and other parts of the country by seriously tackling all security threats posed by insurgency and terrorism, among others.
He gave the charge on Monday in Maiduguri while declaring open the First General Officers Commanding Workshop 2017 organized by 2 Division of the Nigerian Army.
Also, the Army Chief has said the Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East, militancy in Niger Delta and other criminality in the country have challenged the Nigerian Army’s operational capacity to fulfill its constitutional roles.
Buratai said Nigeria was faced with security challenges that had impacted negatively on the livelihoods of people.
Represented by Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Major General Lucky Irabor, Buratai said Boko Haram insurgency manifested the gravest threat to the nation’s national security.
According to him, “the Boko Haram insurgency, militancy, pipeline vandalism, cattle rustling as well as kidnapping, ethnology-religious crisis, robbery and other forms of criminalities have constituted the gravest danger to national security, while also exposing lapses in the Nigerian Army’s operational capability and capacity.”
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