By Olayemi Esan
President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday in Maiduguri, Borno State, reassured the citizens of its administration's determination in fighting terrorism to the end, and ensuring that Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) are fully returned to continue their normal lives.
President Buhari, who was on official visit to the State to appraise the security situation and inaugurate some development projects, attributed recent successes recorded by the military against insurgents and terrorists at Dikwa, Damboa and Gwoza to careful planning, infusion of new equipment and other war materials as well as quality military leadership.
“I am very happy to be here in Borno State once again. I consider Maiduguri and Borno State to be my home since this is the place where I cut my administrative and political teeth, when I first arrived here as Military Governor 46 years ago.
“While I am happy to return home, I am not happy that this visit is not a normal, peacetime home-coming. I am here today first and foremost to appraise the security situation in Borno State and the North East region in order to move full speed ahead and conclude the work of restoring permanent peace to the region.
“The attacks launched by cowardly terrorists against military and civilian targets last month and in previous months were a pointer to us that the work of defeating insurgency and terrorism and of restoring permanent peace to this region is not yet over.
“We will not rest until all the millions of Internally Displaced Persons are able to return and resettle in their homes and rebuild their shattered lives,” he said.
The President used the occasion to commend Governor Babagana Umara Zulum for his resilience and relentless efforts in rebuilding the state.
The President said all the Service Chiefs that were appointed this year either served as Theatre Commanders or were part of the command’s operations at one time or the other.
“All of them are therefore personally familiar with the challenge of insurgency. I fully expect them to bring this wealth of personal experience to bear as we move to end this scourge once and for all.
“No doubt, these successes owe a lot to the role played by volunteers of the Civilian JTF, hunters and vigilantes. These good people include women, who are making huge sacrifices and patriotic contributions to our peace-restoration efforts,” he added.
The President noted that many servicemen and women as well as youthful volunteers had paid the supreme price in the fight to rid our communities and our country of terrorism and insurgency, appreciating their gallantry and their sacrifices.
He assured their loved ones that the sacrifice will not be in vain.
“I must also acknowledge the very important role and sacrifices made by parents, guardians and other loved ones amongst the people of Borno State, the North East region and the country as a whole, who support their sons, daughters, husbands, brothers and sisters in going to battlefields to defend Nigeria’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and its peace. I thank and commend them for their resilience and assure them that success is in sight.
“It was a mark of our appreciation for this sacrifice made by Borno State’s volunteers that the Nigerian Army was authorised to enlist hundreds of volunteers from Borno State into the Army. I urge the people of Borno State, the North East region and Nigeria as a whole to sustain this cooperation with the military and the other security services. Both must see each other as being on one side in order for us to succeed,” he said.
The Governor said he had already spent 750 days in office, appreciating the President for various developmental interventions, which includes infrastructure, particularly the approval of 10,000 units of housing for IDPs of which 4,000 had been completed.
The Governor thanked the President for approval of a Federal Polytechnic in Mongonu after forty years of creation, 1976, urging more security presence so that farmers can return to their major occupation.
