At exactly 10.30pm, Buhari received the flag at this year’s regimental dinner organised by the presidential brigade of guards.
He was, however, silent on the claims by Abubakar Shekau, leader of the insurgents, that his group had not been crushed.
Men of the Operation Lafiya Dole had, on December 22, announced the successful take-over of “camp zero”, the strongest enclave of Boko Haram in the Sambisa forest.
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The army declared victory over the insurgents but in a propaganda video thereafter, Shekau said if indeed the claim was true, “how come you see me like this?”
At Friday’s dinner, Irabor said about 1,240 suspected Boko Haram members were arrested during a mop-up operation inside Sambisa.
In his response, Buhari recounted how he was nearly killed even before he collected his first salary in the army – and that he enjoyed his 25 years service before he was retired.
“I believe you are here because you want to be here and you cannot complain. We will do our best to build the national institutions in the country,” he said.
“There are 250 ethnic groups, so keeping Nigeria one is a task that must be done. So even for personal reason you must make sure this country stays one and remain strong.”
Tukur Buratai, lieutenant general and chief of army staff, assured Nigerians that they will continue their onslaught in the north-east.
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