Boko Haram Is Everywhere, Including Lagos – Buratai

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai, has noted that Boko Haram insurgents can be found everywhere in Nigeria, including Lagos State.

Buratai while speaking on Arise TV stated that the terrorist group are not found only in the North-East.

The Army Chief during the interview added that members of Boko Haram have been subdued in the region and moved to other parts of the country.

He added that though the military has defeated Boko Haram, it is facing the challenge of terrorism. He further stated that terrorism would remain in Nigeria for years.

Buratai in the statement said: “We have defeated insurgency, but facing the challenge of terrorism.”

“There is nowhere you will not find Boko Haram – even in Lagos here, there is Boko Haram. In Kaduna, there is Boko Haram. There are more across the North-east. Many have been arrested here in Lagos. We have been tracking them. We arrest them and take them into custody.”

“We must differentiate between insurgency and terrorism. I have tried to tell them at the National Assembly. Someone said three local governments are under Boko Haram. How?”

“These guys are not controlling any territory. They attempted to establish their territory, caliphate in Gwoza but they have not been able to because they were flushed out. That is an insurgency. They are not holding any territory.”

“Typically, that is the end of the insurgency. But what of terrorism? Terrorism will outlive you and me and probably everybody in this house because terrorism, since it started, just like armed robbery, like kidnapping, burglary, cultism, it would continue.”

“These are all smaller parts of terrorism. It is when it goes higher than you have arsons as it happened in Borno yesterday, murder and so on deliberately, no cause.”