The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Tukur Buratai, has approved the formation of five Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) for the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu State.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the five new FOBs will be located at the stretch of the Nigerian border from the Taraba axis to the Bakassi axis, which falls under the Division’s Areas of Responsibility.

Adamu Abubakar, General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Division, told NAN on Sunday in Enugu that the FOBs would greatly help to improve security within the border areas known flash-points.

Mr Abubakar, a major general, lauded the COAS for his vision and forthrightness in approving the FOBs to immediately take care of external incursions in the border areas within the Division’s Area of Responsibility.

“So far, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. T.Y. Buratai, has approved the formation of Forward Operating Bases (FOBs).

“And presently, we have five. One in Ikang, one in Ekang, one in Danari, one in Mfum and the one we will soon bring up is the one in Kashimbila.

“I will assure Nigerians that that stretch from Taraba up to Bakassi, that is Ikang, are safe,’’ he assured.

On internal security, the GOC noted that the Division had helped the police and civil authorities to ensure that crime, especially organised and violent crimes, were reduced to the barest minimal.

According to him, everybody living in that part of the country, knows that crime has reduced drastically in the past six months, even as we are not resting on our oars.

“We are trying our best. Our soldiers are virtually everywhere.

“We have also helped to bring peace to Ebonyi-Cross River states boundary disputing communities; which the two states governors had waded into it, together with the Minister of Interior, Director-General of National Boundary Commission and myself.

“For now, there is huge safety and security in the South-east unlike what it used to be,” he said.

According to him, the issue of Uzo-Uwani (a council area in Enugu State) was being tackled.

“We had issues of kidnapping about four weeks ago in Nsukka, we had to go in and move to support the police.

“The same is the road between Nike and Opi, we knew that the road was where people do not want to pass because of activities of hoodlums; soldiers have since taken over the flashpoints.

“We have deployed our soldiers to various notorious areas and flashpoints in the Division; not just in Enugu or Ebonyi, but other states within the Division’s Area of Responsibility

“So, the military is really doing so much to ensure safety and security,’’ he said. (NAN)