Vice President-elect Sen Kashim Shettima has lauded the efforts of former Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai (Rtd), in his relentless fight against insurgency. Shettima, who described Buratai as one of the most noticeable generals in the country’s history, made these comments during the launch of three books written in honour of the former Army chief in Abuja.
The books titled “Walking the War Front with Lt. Gen. TY Buratai,” “Duty Call: Under Buratai’s Command,” and “The Lonely Grave and Other Poems” were authored by Jibrin Baba Ndace, a former defence correspondent for Blueprint Newspapers.
Sen. Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, a one-term Deputy Governor of Jigawa State, represented Shettima at the event. He applauded Buratai’s tenacity in combatting insurgency, stating that the efforts of Buratai and his colleagues have led to a significant reduction in terrorist incidents in Nigeria since 2011.
Also in attendance was the Minister of Defence, Maj Gen Bashir Magashi (Rtd), represented by Major General A.T Jibril (Rtd), Special Adviser Technical to the Minister. He commended Buratai as a patriotic officer who dedicated his career to the safety of Nigerians. He also noted the author’s success in highlighting the possible interface between civilians and combatants.
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Major-General Leo Irabor, praised Buratai for his leadership style, particularly his propensity to lead from the front and listen to his subordinates.
In response, Buratai expressed his gratitude towards the author for documenting his accomplishments. He also encouraged those still serving in the military to continue the fight against insurgency until total peace is achieved.