TheCable

Kenneth Minimah, the chief of army staff, has assured Nigerians that the country would recover territories presently under the control of Boko Haram.

Nearly 20 communities in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe, the three northeastern states under the state of emergency, are believed to be under the control of insurgents.

On Sunday, the sect released a video footage showing Abubakar Shekau, its leader, going round different towns in the company of his men.

But addressing the senate on Thursday, Minimah said the army was doing its best to end the insurgency.

The senate committee on defence had summoned service chiefs to explain the security challenges in the northeast and the inability of security agencies to contain it.

Lamenting the setback recorded by the security agencies, George Sekibo, the chairman senate committee on defence and army, expressed worries.

“The spate of insurgency, the way and manner the insurgents are taking areas, is getting worrisome. The insurgents are having a field day. We want to be told what is happening,” Sekibo said.

“We approved $1billion for the president to purchase arms and ammunition to fight Boko Haram. We are aware that your budget is being released to you. If you have difficulties you should tell us.

“We want to know what is happening. We also want to know the issue of the reported cease fire.”

Responding, Minimah requested that journalists should be excused from the meeting because he did not want to disclose sensitive issues in the presence of the media.

“I came to interface with the senate committee on defence. Can the press leave us please because operational matters are never discussed on the pages of the newspapers,” he said.

The senators tried to convince him that media presence meant no harm but he stood his ground until the journalists eventually left.

However, addressing the media after meeting with the senate, he assured Nigerians of the capability of the army to restore normalcy to the troubled spots.

“We had a setback in Bassa that resulted in loss of territories up to Mubi and [it was] painful, but we are working very hard to retake those territories,” he said.

“I want to continue to rekindle the confidence of Nigerians and particularly the ordinary Nigerians who have suffered the pain of this insurgency that the Nigerian army will continue to do its best and strive to win this war and reclaim the lost territories.”