Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan today visited Mubi, Adamawa
State and Baga, Borno State, Nigerian towns recently
recovered from the
Boko Haram terrorists and dangled several incentives to the Nigerian
troops taking part in the Boko Haram war.
An upbeat Jonathan
applauded the troops for proving their mettle once again through the
rapid recapture of the towns. His visit came 24 hours after, the chief
of army staff, Lt. General Kenneth Minimah visited Baga and announced
the automatic promotion of soldiers who took part in the recovery
effort.
Addressing officers and men of the Nigerian Army in Baga
and Mubi, Jonathan declared that he and all Nigerians were very proud of
the bravery, competence and patriotism with which they were now
undertaking operations to expel the insurgents from all parts of Borno,
Yobe and Adamawa states.
The President said that with their recent
successes, which have overwhelmingly turned the tide against Boko
Haram, the Nigerian military has proven beyond any doubt that it remains
fully capable of defending the territorial integrity of Nigeria.
The military’s recent victories against Boko Haram, President
Jonathan told the troops, have also proven conclusively that all those,
within and outside the country, who cast aspersions on Nigerian soldiers
and questioned their ability and willingness to overcome the insurgents
were misinformed and wrong.
President Jonathan, who was
accompanied on the trip by the National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo
Dasuki and all the Service Chiefs, assured the troops that the Federal
Government will ensure that they receive all the equipment and logistics
they require to complete the ongoing mission to reassert government’s
effective control over all areas formerly held by Boko Haram.
The President promised the soldiers that all issues pertaining to their welfare will be properly and expeditiously addressed.
He
also assured them that they will be duly rewarded for their bravery and
patriotic service to the nation at the successful conclusion of ongoing
operations against Boko Haram.
Families of dead soldiers will also be well provided for, the President further assured the troops.
The soldiers responded to the President’s address with chants of
“Never Again” and assured him that insurgents and terrorists will never
again be allowed to take and hold any Nigerian territory.
While in
Mubi, President Jonathan, accompanied by the Governor of Adamawa State,
Mr. Bala Ngilari and the Minister of Youth Development, Mr. Bonnie
Haruna, paid a courtesy call on the Emir, Alhaji Isa Ahmadu.
He
assured the Emir that the Federal Government will do all within its
powers to ensure that normalcy is speedily returned to Mubi and other
towns and settlements recently recaptured from Boko Haram to enable
displaced persons return to their homes in the shortest possible time.
President
Jonathan also undertook an aerial inspection of other towns and areas
recently recaptured from Boko Haram including Monguno.
Before returning to Abuja, the President met and conferred with the Borno State Governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima in Maiduguri.
Source:Punch Newspaper
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