Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum has urged the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Maj.-Gen. Farouk Yahaya, to sustain the fight against insurgents, bandits and other criminals in the country.

The governor made the call in a statement by his Special Adviser on Communications and Strategy, Malam Isa Gusau yesterday in Maiduguri, the state capital.

Zulum, who commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the choice of Yahaya, said the development showed the Buhari’s consistency and commitment in combating insurgency in the Northeast.

“With the appointment of General Yahaya, the country has retained the advantage of having in place service chiefs who have all served in Borno and have sufficient operational knowledge in the fight against Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP).

“While congratulating the new Chief of Army Staff, I acknowledge that Mr President’s choice of Major-General Farouk Yahaya, who was in Maiduguri as Theatre Commander of the joint armed forces battle against insurgents “was a deliberate reaffirmation of Mr President’s consistency of placing the insurgency facing the Northeast, as the topmost priority of the Presidency, because addressing the insurgency in the Northeast has the potential of stabilising the country.