The army yesterday decided to relocate this year’s Nigerian Army Day Celebration to Katsina State to kick-start a major exercise tagged “Ex Sahel Sanity” with a view to check banditry in the northwest.

The spokesman of the army, Colonel Sagir Musa told journalists in Abuja that this was one of the far-reaching decisions of the Senior Officers Conference.

He said the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai yesterday convened a special and exclusive meeting with his Principal Staff Officers, General Officers Commanding and Field Commanders at the Army Headquarters.

Musa said the meeting was intended to serve as a time for action, a time to change the war narrative and a wakeup call in efforts to combat Boko Haram terrorism and insurgency, northwest banditry and other security challenges across the country.

He said the meeting discussed wide ranging security matters, the state of the counter terrorism and other Internal Security Operations in Nigeria. He said the necessity for commanders, officers and men to redouble their efforts and ensure that all security threats in the country were effectively checkmated was emphasized.

He added that Buratai directed all commanders/GOCs, officers and men of the Nigerian Army to ensure that the charge given by the President and Commander – in- Chief must be fully implemented so as to speedily crush BH terrorism and other security threats facing the nation.”

Musa said Buratai warned that he wants to see an all-encompassing positive change in the army operations and in the security situation across the country.