By Stephen Ubanna
When Christopher Musa, an Army General and Chief Of Defense Staff, CDS, in an emotional outbursts, while addressing Troops of Operation Hadin Kkai, OPHK, at the Mamalari Cantonment in Maiduguri, capital of Borno state on Tuesday, October 11, 2023, had told the soldiers ‘’to find the BokoHaram and the Islamic State of West African Province, ISWAP, Insurgents to kill before they kill Nigerians’’ he knew what he was talking about.
This is because the Insurgents appears to have been let loose as they have resorted causing increased havoc in the north eastern state and the neighbouring Yobe. The Army General may have given the OPHK Troops a food for thought when he said ‘’no soldier is complete without killing at least one Terrorist in the Theatre’’.
Appealing to the Troops not to go and sleep in the theatre when they have a job to do in the two war thorn states, insisting that they must take the to the Insurgents camp and kill them. He is optimistic that if the Troops can do that on a daily basis, ‘‘the Insurgents would be finished completely’’.
While the CDS, and his soldiers are perfecting strategies on how to deal decisively with the Insurgents in the two north eastern states of Borno and Yobe, the Killer Terrorists were said to have also perfected their attacking strategies on the Troops and other security agencies personnel including Customs personnel in the Borno and Yobe states.
Barely two weeks later after the CDS, had addressed the OPHK Troops at the Mamailari Cantonment in the Borno state Capital, Maiduguri, and four days, after the confirmation of Adewale Adeniyi, as the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Servie, NCS, By President Bola Ahmed Tinu, BokoHaram fighters had thrown the Adeniyi led Nigerian Customs Service into mourning . The suspected BokoHaram fighters were said to have attacked the service out staion at Geidam, a border town in Yobe state with Maine- Soroa in Niger Republic.
An eye witness account said the attackers had arrived the Yobe Community on Saturday, October 21, 2023, at night and started shooting sporadically. The attackers who were armed to the teeth were said to taken advantage of the curfew period in the state to move around the outskirts of the Geidam Community in search of security agencies personnel ‘’to kill’’.
The Insurgents were said to have stormed the Customs outpost along the Maine Soroa road in the town in a Volkswagen Golf and Land Cruiser but could not spare it as they burnt the Patrol vehicle parked in the premises, a generator and part of the Geidam Customs outpost building.
The BokoHaraHaram attackers’ sporadic shootings may have forced the officers who had retired home for the day to rush out as they scampered for safety through the gate and scale the offence.
Abdullahi Maiwada, a Chief Superintendent and Customs spokesperson, had said that one Ahmed Usman, an Assistant Superintendent of Customs, SAC, II, born in Pindiga town in Akko Local Government Area , of Gombe state, in 193, with a family of five , could not survive the attack as he was killed in the process.
The quick intervention of the OPHK Troops who were alerted through phone calls was said to have saved the situation from degenerating, as the soldiers who came to the scene joined forces with the Customs personnel armed with AK.47 rifle to repel the attackers , forcing them to flee into the bush.
CSC Maiwada may have spoken the mind of the Customs Comptroller General when he confirmed that the Geidam Customs outpost had ’’ faced a formidable threat but was bravely defended’’, safeguarding the facility and families of fellow officers and men.
The Daily Trust had reported that the BokoHaram Insurgents attacks on the outskirts of the Geidam, Community in Yobe state had been on the increase in the recent days. Analysts had attributed to the drop in their tax collection from farmers and herdsmen living in Kumadugu/Yobe River Basin.
The CGC, who could not hide his feelings was said to have expressed gratitude to Lt. Gen. Raheed Lagbaja led Nigeria Army and other sister agencies for the support extended to the service I this trying period. He was particularly enthused with the unwavering solidarity of the Nigerian President and Mai Mala Buni, the Yobe state governor to bring the situation under control.
As a prelude to avoid a repeat in the future, he had emphasised the crucial role of Community Management in the shared pursuit of safety and security , urging the people ‘’to contribute to these collective endeavours actively’’.
He may have sent a message to the BokoHaram Insurgents that had attacked the Customs facility in Geidam that in the face of ‘’the face of the adversity and the death of ASC. Usman in their hands, ‘’ the Nigeria Customs service would remain strong , resolute and united , to carry out its statutory responsibilities of suppressing smuggling, ensuring the safety and security of the nation’s Land border areas’’.
The Customs Comptroller ‘General, had expressed his heartfelt condolences to the family of ASC II, the victim of the BokoHaram attack in Geidam Community in Yobe state , the NCS, Borno/ Yobe Command and the Government of Gombe state for the loss of’’ this heroic and devoted officer in the line of duty’’.
