The Acting General Officer Commanding (GOC) 8 Task Force Division, Brigadier General Stevenson Olabanji, has charged troops of 118 Task Force Battalion to cultivate the culture of deliberate equipment maintenance in order to ensure a successful operation.

The GOC made the charge when he visited the Battalion Headquarters recently in Gudumbali, Guzamala Local Government Area of Borno State.

Speaking further during the visit, the GOC reminded troops that their equipments are part and parcel of them and that their loss or capture can serve only to strengthen the adversary.

He added that the final phase of the operation to dislodge the remnants of Boko Haram terrorists who are still operating in remote islands within the Lake Chad Basin is in the offing. “The tempo of ongoing clearance operations will be increased, so be prepared, you may be ordered at any time to clear the remnants of Boko Haram elements in the indentified locations,” he said.

The GOC urged them to be vigilant and always maintain high level of discipline at all times. The GOC assured the battalion of the commitment of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai to addressing pending welfare and logistics issues.

Earlier during his brief, the Commanding Officer 118 Task Force Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel OP Oyekoke outlined the tasks of his battalion and assured the GOC of the readiness of his officers and soldiers to discharge their duties in accordance with extant Nigerian Army regulations.

Brigadier General Olabanji was accompanied on the visit by the Commander 7 Brigade, Brigadier General Olayinka Soyele and Principal Staff Officers of the Division.