Army removes commander over Boko Haram attacks

The Nigerian Army has replaced the theatre commander of the troops fighting the Boko Haram sect, Ibrahim Attahiru, after half a year following a string of insurgency attacks despite years of official claims the group has almost been defeated.

The shake-up underscores the fragility of the security situation in Nigeria’s North East where the conflict with Boko Haram is now in its ninth year, despite assertions by President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration that it is on its last legs.

Attahiru is being replaced by Major Gen. Rogers Nicholas in the wake of a series of “embarrassing” attacks, two military sources told Reuters.

They said the conduct of the war against the insurgents is now being reviewed.

“The attacks that occurred during Attahiru’s command included the kidnapping of members of an oil prospecting team which led to at least 37 people being killed in July, and deadly assaults on the towns of Magumeri, Biu and Madagali,” the sources said.