Exactly 40 days since the Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, gave the troops fighting Boko Haram insurgents in the northeast marching orders to capture the leader of the Islamic dissidents, Abubakar Shekau either dead or alive, expectant Nigerians are yet to see any result but spatial attacks by the terrorists on various fronts.
Buratai gave the ultimatum in order to facilitate a conclusive end to insurgency that has been raging in the northeastern part of the country for close to a decade.
The terror attacks launched by the insurgents, especially in three north-eastern states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe have led to the death of thousands of innocent lives and millions of others rendered homeless.
Though the orders were received with renewed enthusiasm on the part of the forces on the war theatre, it however came with new form of resilience from the insurgents who stood their ground to establish their presence even in the heat of the military battle against insurgency.
Just two days after the proclamation of the ultimatum More than 50 people including University lecturers and NNPC oil explorers were killed in an ambush attack at Magumeri.
The attack on the specialists was the group’s deadliest in months.
It was carried out by the Islamic State in West Africa-backed faction of the group led by Abu Musab Al-Barnawi
It underscored the persistent threat posed by Boko Haram fighters, despite military claims that it had crushed them.
On the heels of the attack, the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo met with the service chiefs directing them to intensify counter terrorists operations in Borno state to maintain a strong control and secure lives and property.
He ordered the service chiefs to locate and free those held captive by the insurgents from the attack.
After the attack on oil exploration team that claimed more than 60 lives, many other attacks were recorded in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states that claimed many lives and several others left with injuries.
In Borno alone, there were reported cases of 92 deaths between July 24 till date, majority of the casualties apart from the 50 oil explorers were victims of suicide attacks in Konduga local government area of the state.
The deadliest attack on Konduga in recent times was a suicide explosion in a local market on 15th August which left 28 dead at its wake and 80 others injured.
Though the military is still determined to ending insurgency and restore peace in the region, Nigerians are still looking forward to seeing notorious Shekau captured alive or death in line with the directives of the Chief of Army Staff.