Military launches motorbike battalion

The Nigeria Army has established a motorbike battalion to give teeth to its counter-insurgency operations in the North-East. The Army also released another list of 100 suspected members of the terrorist sect, Boko Haram, wanted for various acts of terrorism in the country, even as one of the major road leading to Maiduguri, Maiduguri-Damboa-Biu road closed to traffic for over two years was flung open. The Army had late last year published the first set of 100 suspected members of Boko Haram in the wanted list. Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, who launched the Motorbike Battalion of the Army at the 25 Task Force Brigade, Damboa, Borno State yesterday said the decision for the introduction of the combat motorbike was to ensure that “our roads are safe”.

He said the combat motorbike would ensure force multiplier effect and give the military an edge in the ongoing counter-insurgency war in the North-East. He said with the introduction of the combat motorbike “our troops will be able to pursue the Boko Haram anywhere”. He added that the reach of the motorbike would be very important and ensure that ‘we can improve on our successes’. On the reopened road, Buratai said: “The road from Maiduguri through Damboa to Biu is now opened for motorists.” He added that: “The safety on this road is in care of the Brigade Commander of 25 Task Force Brigade. I do not want to hear any attack on this road, motorists plying this road must be safe.”

The COAS appealed to the public to come out with information that would assist in the arrest of terrorists, adding that many terrorists in the first list of 100 wanted were identified and arrested. He said the new list of 100 suspected terrorists was for the members of the public to identify and report their whereabouts so that they could be brought to justice. His words: “The 100 Boko Haram members declared wanted have their faces on the posters. The members of the public should look at the posters very well and report appropriately.” On the reopened Maiduguri-Damboa-Biu road, the Secretary of Borno State Chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Alhaji Adamu Musa, expressed appreciation to the COAS for making it a reality. He however called for between 20 and 30 checkpoints on the road in order to check against the threat of the terror sect.