ONE year after the Chibok girls were kidnapped by insurgents from their school in Borno State , the National Security Adviser (NSA) , Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) has promised that the military will liberate the dreaded Sambisa Forest and completely flush out Boko Haram terrorists from the country and before May 29, when President Goodluck Jonathan would hand over power.
Meanwhile, Dasuki has said that Jonathan’s acceptance of defeat after the presidential election averted the breakdown of law and order.
Speaking to PR Nigeria in Abuja yesterday, Dasuki said the Federal government was doing all within its available means to rescue not only the school girls but all those that have been held hostage by the terrorists.
He added: “Right now, all Boko Haram camps, except Sambisa Forest have been destroyed”, all other camps hitherto occupied by the insurgents have been taken over by the Nigerian troops.
The NSA said “Every movement of the terrorists is being monitored and every necessary detail is being taken care of to rid the country of the last bastion of terrorists’ infestation.
Aside the Chibok girls, other Nigerian girls, boys, men and women were abducted by the terrorists and all efforts are being made to rescue them all.”
After the shift in elections date from February this year, Dasuki had assured Nigerians and the international community that all known terrorists’ camps would be destroyed, while most of the occupied communities under Boko Haram in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States would be liberated to allow for peaceful conduct of elections and collection of more voters cards by the electorate.
He was quoted to have said “All known Boko Haram camps will be taken out. They won’t be there. They will be dismantled.
In addition to the acquisition of more sophisticated armaments and training of our troops in guerrilla warfare the new military co-operation agreement between Nigeria and its neighbours will prove decisive against Boko Haram.”
He stated that before the date for the elections were shifted, the terrorists were holding sway in 20 councils in the three states, but the good news is that within six weeks, so much success was achieved by the troops in the area, recovering all but Sambisa forest.
The report stated that, the forest would have since been liberated but for the unfavourable weather condition prevailing in the area as all needed reconnaissance activity and necessary deployment of troops have been made for the operation.
He commended the President on the successful conduct of the elections in the country, stressing that he saved the country from chaos and likely breakdown of law and order.
He further disclosed that Jonathan was not pressurized to accept defeat in the first place, but because of his personal commitment to the integrity and transparency of the process.
“President Jonathan had already given his words to all the security and service chiefs before the election that he would abide by the decision of Nigerians. At the meeting, he also told them to perform their duties professionally during the polls.
“While we anticipated that he would congratulate his opponent if the result is announced in favour of the opposition candidate, he gratuitously without prompting of anyone conceded victory to the surprise of all.
“By that singular gesture he had saved the security agencies and the nation of unnecessary tension and stress in maintaining law and order and curtailing excesses of likely protesters.”
While commending the fairness of the media in the coverage of elections, he nevertheless urged it to be conscious of malicious reports being sponsored by vested interest.
He denied a report that he was at any polling units during the last governorship election and was never involved in any meeting with judicial officers to truncate any democratic process.
