After about three weeks of focusing on a purported ceasefire deal and negotiations with the Boko Haram sect, the federal government has given the military a marching order to flush out insurgents who have been in control of Mubi and Vimtim for the past seven days.
The military had since deployed more attack helicopter gunships and surveillance aircraft, with the new General Officer Commanding 3 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General FO Alli said to have moved to Yola so as to be closer to the operation.
FG’s order came following intelligence reports that the new upsurge in Boko Haram attacks may have been influenced by political motives to ensure that political activities do not take place in the North East zone of the country, reports Vanguard, adding that the government had also given the new GOC and the commander of the Nigeria Air Force Strike Group in Yola a time frame during which they are expected to have driven the insurgents out.
The government was said to have also made the move as the insurgents were believed to be pushing to take over Yola after the bid to get to Maiduguri failed.
