The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Maj.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, has reaffirmed that the December deadline given by the federal government to flush out Book Haram was feasible. Buratai, who made this known when he visited officers and soldiers of the 3 Division, Nigerian Army Jos, yesterday, said that the military had stepped up the fight against the insurgent group.
The COAS said the tempo of the operation, the number of troops and the equipments had all increased.
He added that “our strategy and operational plans have continued to evolve with the daily challenges that we have.’’
He, however, noted that the spate of bombings by the group in some cities, especially on soft targets, had increased in the last two weeks.
Buratai, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said that the army, in conjunction with other security agencies, was studying the pattern and would soon be able to quickly find a solution to the spate of bombings.
He commended the soldiers in the battle front for doing very well so far and urged Nigerians to support the fight by providing useful information to security agencies.
He added that his vision was to reposition the army and make it more professional and more responsive to its responsibilities.
According to him, steps have been taken to ensure that medical facilities are improved upon, saying that the army will do better with healthy officers and men.
The United States Centre for Strategic Counter-Terrorism Communication has promised to partner with Nigeria’s Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC), to achieve its various intervention programmes for the security and peaceful co-existence in the country.
To this end, the officials of the centre currently in Nigeria, have visited the CCC at the weekend in Abuja and pledged to support in realising its set objectives.
Speaking on behalf of the team, the Deputy Coordinator, Partnership Engagement and Outreach of the US Centre for Counterterrorism Comunication, Mr. Stevie Hamilton, noted with satisfaction the level of professionalism, commitment and diligence with which the Nigeria’s CCC approaches the onerous task of communicating and managing crisis in Nigeria.
Hamilton also promised to provide necessary technical support to assist the CCC to grow.
He said: “It is heart-warming to know that a centre of this nature exists in the country and more importantly, that it is able to do the kind of work it is doing. I have no doubt in my kind that given the necessary support in terms of capacity, resource and institutional backing, the centre will certainly bridge the gap in the access to information that will aid in preventing, managing or mitigating crisis in the country, and how the rest of the world view Nigeria.
“I am really impressed with what you have set out to achieve, what have been achieved already and indeed your sheer determination to succeed in the face of challenges that might be on your way as a non-governmental organisation.
“We have similar centre in the US, the Centre for Strategic Counter-terrorism Communications, and that’s where I am coming from. The whole idea is to find a common ground where we can provide you the necessary assistance to enable you achieve your set objectives and more importantly to serve humanity.”
Earlier, the Executive Secretary of CCC, Air Commodore Yusuf Anas (rtd), commended the officials for finding time to visit the office.
Anas explained that the centre came into existence in response to the need to fill an existing gap in crisis communication in Nigeria.
He stated that the centre “is actively involved in collecting, collating, processing, harmonizing and disseminating information on any crisis or potential crisis situation in the country, which he said is with a view to providing credible and professional crisis communication to the general public.
“The objective is for the centre to evolve proactive measures and establish systematic approach to crisis communication to fill the existing communication gap.”
The CCC boss added that the centre has as its stakeholders all the security and response agencies in Nigeria, which it interfaces with to provide strategic crisis communication.
He expressed the willingness of the centre to partner with credible organisations like the US Centre for Strategic Counter-terrorism Communications as leverage to building its own capacity and quality of services.
Recall that the US Special Envoy for Strategic Counter-terrorism Communications, Mr. Rashad Hussain recently led his team including Stevie Hamilton to a meeting with Vice-President Yemi Osibanjo in the State House.
The United States Centre for Strategic Counter-Terrorism Communication has promised to partner with Nigeria’s Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC), to achieve its various intervention programmes for the security and peaceful co-existence in the country.
To this end, the officials of the centre currently in Nigeria, have visited the CCC at the weekend in Abuja and pledged to support in realising its set objectives.
Speaking on behalf of the team, the Deputy Coordinator, Partnership Engagement and Outreach of the US Centre for Counterterrorism Comunication, Mr. Stevie Hamilton, noted with satisfaction the level of professionalism, commitment and diligence with which the Nigeria’s CCC approaches the onerous task of communicating and managing crisis in Nigeria.
Speaking on behalf of the team, the Deputy Coordinator, Partnership Engagement and Outreach of the US Centre for Counterterrorism Comunication, Mr. Stevie Hamilton, noted with satisfaction the level of professionalism, commitment and diligence with which the Nigeria’s CCC approaches the onerous task of communicating and managing crisis in Nigeria.
Hamilton also promised to provide necessary technical support to assist the CCC to grow.
He said: “It is heart-warming to know that a centre of this nature exists in the country and more importantly, that it is able to do the kind of work it is doing. I have no doubt in my kind that given the necessary support in terms of capacity, resource and institutional backing, the centre will certainly bridge the gap in the access to information that will aid in preventing, managing or mitigating crisis in the country, and how the rest of the world view Nigeria.
“I am really impressed with what you have set out to achieve, what have been achieved already and indeed your sheer determination to succeed in the face of challenges that might be on your way as a non-governmental organisation.
“We have similar centre in the US, the Centre for Strategic Counter-terrorism Communications, and that’s where I am coming from. The whole idea is to find a common ground where we can provide you the necessary assistance to enable you achieve your set objectives and more importantly to serve humanity.”
Earlier, the Executive Secretary of CCC, Air Commodore Yusuf Anas (rtd), commended the officials for finding time to visit the office.
Anas explained that the centre came into existence in response to the need to fill an existing gap in crisis communication in Nigeria.
He stated that the centre “is actively involved in collecting, collating, processing, harmonizing and disseminating information on any crisis or potential crisis situation in the country, which he said is with a view to providing credible and professional crisis communication to the general public.
“The objective is for the centre to evolve proactive measures and establish systematic approach to crisis communication to fill the existing communication gap.”
The CCC boss added that the centre has as its stakeholders all the security and response agencies in Nigeria, which it interfaces with to provide strategic crisis communication.
He expressed the willingness of the centre to partner with credible organisations like the US Centre for Strategic Counter-terrorism Communications as leverage to building its own capacity and quality of services.
Recall that the US Special Envoy for Strategic Counter-terrorism Communications, Mr. Rashad Hussain recently led his team including Stevie Hamilton to a meeting with Vice-President Yemi Osibanjo in the State House.
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