Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday said that the Nigerian security agencies will keep up vigilance against Boko Haram terrorists.
Noting that the terrorists have been degraded, he said that they still carry out suicide bomb attacks against soft targets.
Fielding questions from journalists after receiving briefings from
Service Chiefs, Osinbajo said “As you know the Boko Haram as a military
force has been degraded, they are not holding territory at the moment;
our armed forces have been able to dislodge them from practically all
territories they were holding in the past.
“What is happening now is just once in a while attacks by suicide bombers. By the nature of asymmetric warfare we are not able to say it has ended now. But I think that militarily they have been contained, there is no question at all that Boko Haram as a fighting force has been degraded.
“We are still vigilant because of their capacity to do damage with suicide bombers. I am very satisfied with what the military has done so far. And the briefing has shown graphically that they are really on top of their game and that they are doing excellently well in the north east.” he added
He explained that the fact that he received the security briefing did not mean that President Muhammadu Buhari will not return soon.
According to him, the security briefings are routine.
He said; “No no no! Almost every month these briefings are held, it is routine and it is the president who puts in place this whole idea of regular briefing. It is even more important that we do so because of some of the issues arising like the cases of kidnappings and I wanted the IG to inform us fully.
“Besides, the President is a process person and certainly I am going to speak with him here on developments here. So it is not an indication of anything. It is only an indication that we are committed to the security of the nation. The primary duty of government is to ensure lives and properties and that is why we have to be regularly briefed.
“The good thing is that our men are going extraordinarily well in the north east and that Southern Kaduna has also been contained. The peace building process is also going on very well.” he added
Minister of Defence said “We have trashed most of the security issues that concerns the country at the meeting including the Southern Kaduna and the North East and other parts of the country.
On whether Nigeria is now safe, he said “Nigeria is very safe and I believe with the concept of the security agencies, all the security challenges have been surmounted.”
“What is happening now is just once in a while attacks by suicide bombers. By the nature of asymmetric warfare we are not able to say it has ended now. But I think that militarily they have been contained, there is no question at all that Boko Haram as a fighting force has been degraded.
“We are still vigilant because of their capacity to do damage with suicide bombers. I am very satisfied with what the military has done so far. And the briefing has shown graphically that they are really on top of their game and that they are doing excellently well in the north east.” he added
He explained that the fact that he received the security briefing did not mean that President Muhammadu Buhari will not return soon.
According to him, the security briefings are routine.
He said; “No no no! Almost every month these briefings are held, it is routine and it is the president who puts in place this whole idea of regular briefing. It is even more important that we do so because of some of the issues arising like the cases of kidnappings and I wanted the IG to inform us fully.
“Besides, the President is a process person and certainly I am going to speak with him here on developments here. So it is not an indication of anything. It is only an indication that we are committed to the security of the nation. The primary duty of government is to ensure lives and properties and that is why we have to be regularly briefed.
“The good thing is that our men are going extraordinarily well in the north east and that Southern Kaduna has also been contained. The peace building process is also going on very well.” he added
Minister of Defence said “We have trashed most of the security issues that concerns the country at the meeting including the Southern Kaduna and the North East and other parts of the country.
On whether Nigeria is now safe, he said “Nigeria is very safe and I believe with the concept of the security agencies, all the security challenges have been surmounted.”
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