Jonathan first visited the state in June 2013, and had not been in the state since the abduction of more than 219 students of the Government Girls’ Secondary School, GGSS, Chibok, on April 14, last year.
President Goodluck
Jonathan, yesterday, visited Borno State for the second time since a state of
emergency was declared in the three north eastern states of Adamawa, Borno and
Yobe following the killings of thousands of people by Boko Haram insurgents.
Addressing officers and men
of the 7 Division, Nigerian Army at the Maimalari Barracks, Maiduguri, Jonathan
commended them for their gallantry and patriotism by standing their grounds to
confront the Boko Haram insurgency. He also reassured the Military of his administration’s
total support in the fight against terrorism in some parts of the country. Pays
tribute to gallant soldiers Jonathan said that he was in
Maiduguri as part of the
programmes marking this year’s Armed Forces Remembrance Day, pointing out that
the purpose was to identify with the military, particularly those who were in
the war zone tackling activities of Boko Haram. “I want to sincerely thank you,
members of the Nigerian Armed Forces for your sustained effort in the fight
against Boko Haram and other extremists in the country. “Day and night, you
have been on the field to curtail this madness of Boko Haram. Some of you have
paid the supreme price for your fatherland and we as government will do
everything possible to support you and kit you in all ramifications. “Your
total commitment and dedication to duty to ensure peace and tranquility is much
more appreciated and I want to assure you that your welfare will always be
adequately taken care of by the Federal Government,” Jonathan said.
Visits wounded soldiers
IDPs He also took time to visit some officers and men who sustained injuries in
the war against the insurgents at the military hospital in the Maimalari
Barracks. He later held a closed-door meeting with the wounded soldiers in the
hospital before visiting thousands of Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, from
Baga, Kukawa, Monguno and other places taking refuge at Teachers Village and
other camps in the state. Jonathan sympathised with the IDPs, especially those
who lost their beloved ones apart from being driven away from their ancestral
homes.
He assured them that the
Federal Government and the security agencies were doing everything possible to
ensure peace so that they can go back to their homes and continue their normal
lives. He informed them that the government, through the National Emergency
Management Agency, NEMA, had begun the distribution of relief materials to
victims of Boko Haram in the state and the north east in general and urged them
to take what happened to them as an act of God, even as he solicited their
prayers for restoration of peace as well as a hitch-free elections next month.
“Terrorism and insurgency have been very traumatic for all of us. I feel
particularly disturbed when I hear of our people being displaced within their
own country.
“I assure you and other
displaced persons that Government is working very hard to ensure that you do
not remain in these camps for too long. “I know that many of your houses have
been destroyed. We will assist you financially so that you can rebuild your
homes and return to them gradually,” President Jonathan told the displaced persons.
“In terms of equipment and logistics, we have already made considerable
progress since the insurgency started and we will continue to improve in that
regard until your operations are successfully concluded,” he told the soldiers.
The President thanked the Red Cross and other international organizations who
have been assisting in the provision of relief materials to the displaced
persons.
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