By Christian George
The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd) said he can confidently boast of his administration’s effort in neutralizing insecurity in the North East.
The president made the disclosure in Abuja on Tuesday during the inauguration of the new Office of the National Security Adviser and National Counterterrorism Centre, two state-of-the-art facilities to optimize efforts at addressing evolving security challenges in the country, especially terrorism and violent extremism.
According to PMnews, Buhari said that the inauguration of the two world-class facilities would serve as a major legacy to provide the incoming administration with infrastructure to effectively coordinate national security and counterterrorism efforts.
He highlighted his administration’s strides in fighting insecurity in the country to include combating terrorism, armed banditry, kidnapping, separatist tendencies, crude oil theft, piracy as well as militancy in the South-South and cyber-security.
”I can confidently state here today that we have achieved significant milestones in degrading the major threat and restoring normalcy to most of the hitherto securitized areas in the North East.
“These areas previously occupied by terrorists have been freed and Internally Displaced Persons are voluntarily returning to their homes.
”This was largely achieved through the valiant efforts of our Armed Forces and other security agencies, in collaboration with our regional and international partners but above all, the support and cooperation of the Nigerian citizens,” President Buhari said.
He expressed that his administration has seen to the reduction of series of armed banditry and kidnapping cases in the North West and North Central zones.
He linked the incessant increase in criminal acts in the country as an aftermath of neutralizing Boko Haram in the North East and the implosion of Libya in the Maghreb.
He reiterated that issues of crude oil theft, sea robbery, piracy and militancy in the South-South are equally being addressed.
