Journalists under the auspices of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gallantry Award Recipients have urged the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, to remain focused and committed in his task of tackling the menace of insurgency and other security challenges in the country.

Speaking on behalf of the group during a condolence visit to the COAS in Abuja, Mr. Ben Shemang, said the Army under Gen. Buratai’s Command has made giant strides that remain unprecedented.

He said it was natural to be weighed down by the loss of a loved one, especially a father, but that Buratai should take solace in his father’s contributions to the nation’s peace which should keep him focused and determined in the ongoing fight against Boko Haram.

According to Shemang, “We are not mourning Baba’s demise but we are celebrating his life and this is very significant. We urge you to take his death as God’s time and be strengthened in all that you do because he was a great man.”

Shemang prayed God to continue to support the Buratai family and give them the fortitude to bear the loss.

In his remarks General Tukur Buratai thanked the journalists, adding that journalists remain critical in the fight against Boko Haram.

Baba Yusuf Buratai died last week and has since been buried. He was in West Africa Frontier Force, WAFF, a gallant Nigerian veteran of World War 11.

The Chief of Army Staff Gallantry Award Recipients is a group of embedded journalists who have always covered the war against terrorism in the North East of the country.

In one of the missions led by General Buratai to rout Boko Haram in Dikwa, Gamboru Ngala and adjoining areas, the troops in the presence of the embedded journalists were ambushed by the terrorists. The journalists never gave up but moved on with the gallant soldiers and the general areas which were captured were liberated by the soldiers.

The COAS Gallantry Award Recipients include Mr. Ben Shemang, a Deputy Director News and Operations, Voice of Nigeria; Mallam Jibrin Baba Ndace, Blueprint Newspaper (now Chief Press Secretary to Niger State Governor); Alhaji Mohammed Abdulkadri of NTA; Mr. Jude Zoho of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN); Miss Brenda Uji of AIT; Mr. Abdulkareem Haruna of Leadership Newspaper (now Premium Times); Mrs Blessing Tunoh of Channels TV; Mrs. Molly Kilete of Sun newspapers; Ali Ciroma, Peace FM; Ismail Alfa Abdulrahim, Associated Press’ Mohammed Gulumba, AIT Cameraman; and Adewale Fatai, Channels TV cameraman.

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