President Muhammadu Buhari has promised to visit on insurgents and bandits the ferocity of the nation’s firepower and the weight of the resolve to allow for peace and security.
Addressing men and officers of the Armed Forces in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital during a visit to assess the security situation of the country and to commission some projects, the President said: “By pooling together, the collective resources and comparative advantages of the Armed Forces and other security agencies, we hope the enemy will now feel the ferocity of our firepower and the weight of our resolve.”
The President who used the occasion to condole with the families of the nation’s fallen heroes and pray for the souls of the departed, said: “I want to assure you that this administration will spare no effort or resources to ensure that the widows and children of our fallen heroes who paid the supreme price in defence of our beloved country, are well cared for.”
He however charged the men of the Armed Forces to continue the great work of defending the nation, he said: “We should not allow our adversaries the opportunity or breathing space to challenge or undermine our national interests and core values. The defence and security agencies should rest assured of the Federal Government’s unalloyed commitment to winning the battle against terror and criminality.”
He side by side the efforts of the Armed Forces and security agencies, his Administration is already developing a strategy for post-war reconstruction and peace-building.
He said: “Concerted efforts are being made to fast-track re-construction and development programmes in the affected communities in the North East.”
He said he would continue to ensure that our wounded comrades get the best medical attention towards their full recovery.
He told the soldiers that their collective efforts at decimating and degrading the terrorists and reaffirming the inviolable sovereignty of our nation is acknowledged, stressing that their steadfastness and untiring efforts in the face of the difficulties they experience in the Theatres of Operation is to his knowledge.
He said: “Your collective efforts have resulted in the relative peace being enjoyed in the region today. Under my watch, the Armed Forces of Nigeria have been provided a firm strategy and clear sense of direction to safeguard the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country.”
He added that: “I am particularly happy to note the increasing understanding and cooperation within the military, as well as the inter-agency cooperation in the fight against the terrorists and other criminal elements in the North East.
The President said: “Alongside investment in development and reconstruction, we will sustain our investment in the Armed Forces in a manner that balances the “carrot and stick”.
9. The outcome of this synergy is evidenced by the successes recorded in the ongoing Operation TURA TAKAIBANGO which has so far degraded the insurgents’ capabilities in the Timbuktu Triangle, Sambisa Forest and the Lake Chad Region. I am therefore pleased to acknowledge that the military and other security agencies including civilian stakeholders are adhering to the true spirit of Operation HADIN KAI which implies “jointness, synergy and cooperation.”
He revealed that the repairs and maintenance of some of these vital weapons are now being carried out in the country thereby saving the nation a lot of foreign exchange and also creating jobs for our teeming population, stating that: “As personnel of our Armed Forces and security agencies, you must understand that these items of equipment must be put to good use against the terrorists and other criminal elements. There is no room for complacency, and no need to be less than 100 per cent alert at all times.”
Maiduguri, the Borno State capital was agog for the President Muhammadu Buhari’s official visit to the state.
The President had touched down at the Nigeria Air Force Base in Maiduguri at 10.15 am where he was welcome by Governor Babagana Zulum and other top dignitaries.
Driving through the town in a long convoy, he was warming received by an array of students, civil servants and other section of the society who have lined the streets.
The President while in the town commissioned some projects and visited the palace of the Shehu of Borno and latter had meeting with the Service Chiefs who had arrived the town on Wednesday ahead of the Commander in Chief.
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