Nigeria Army Chief says soldiers have more sophisticated weapons than Boko Haram

The Chief of Army Staff, (COAS) Lieutenant General Kenneth Minimah, Saturday, dismissed insinuations that the Boko Haram sect has more sophisticated weapons that the Nigerian Army.

According to him, while the Army had heavier ordnance, most of the weapons and ammunitions Boko Haram used were purloined from armoury and soldiers during attacks.

Minimah verbalized during his visit to the 44 Army Reference Hospital Kaduna where wounded officers and soldiers, from all the theatres of the operations in the north eastern states were receiving treatment.

He verbally expressed: “Insurgents are not more sophisticated in terms of weapons. Do they have ship, helicopter, and aircraft? Even what they have are purloined, so they cannot be more sophisticated. They do not have more sophisticated weapons than the army”.

He disclosed that his routine visit was withal going to be acclimated to present Purple Heart medals to the wounded but valiant officers and soldiers in apperception of their gallant efforts towards the army’s perpetuated tenaciousness to fight all forms of terrorism in the country.

His words: “We are here on a routine visit to 44 Army Hospitals Kaduna and additionally to visit all the soldiers and officers who were wounded in action in all the theatres of ‘Operation Zaman Lafia’.

“We utilize the opportunity to award them medals, private war time medals of purple hearts as a component of welfare program, which is presented to them today by the Honourable Minister of Defence, General Mohammed Aliyu Gusau (rtd).

“It is a component of welfare program to rekindle the fighting spirit and troop efficiency among the soldiers and officers.

“It is additionally part of the extension of the concern of the Nigerian army to officers or solders injured or killed during the operation”.

Fifty seven soldiers and three officers, who sustained sundry degrees of injuries during the operation were awarded the Purple Hearts medals by the Nigerian Army.