Buhari meets British CDS, vows to eradicate terrorism

• Army reinforces troops in Yobe as gunmen kill three soldiers
• Reps to probe alleged $470m Abuja, Lagos CCTV contract scam
• ACF commends military over fight against Boko Haram

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari yesterday said the significant improvements in national security remain the topmost priority of his administration.

Speaking during an audience with Britain’s Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Sir Nicholas Houghton, Buhari re-affirmed his administration’s determination to end the Boko Haram insurgency as quickly as possible.

“For a country to be efficiently administered, it must first be well-secured because other social and economic initiatives cannot thrive in an atmosphere of insecurity.

“An environment has to be secured before it can be rehabilitated. Nigeria currently has about 1.5 million internally-displaced persons and they need to be returned to their homes and brought out of trauma.

“Their schools, hospitals, churches, mosques, farms and livelihoods have been destroyed by insurgents. If they are not catered for, the country may lose their loyalty.

“When Boko Haram is pushed out and the environment secured, normal life will be restored. That is what we are determined to do. Other things like farming, economic activities and social life will then return. Nigerians are quite enterprising,” Buhari told the Defence Chief.

The President said that Nigeria appreciated the support of the British government for the retraining of its Armed Forces and asked for more assistance in other areas such as logistics, equipment and intelligence.

He also called for more international support for regional efforts to improve security in the Gulf of Guinea through which crude oil stolen from Nigeria is shipped.

In his remarks, Houghton said that the Buhari Presidency was a huge opportunity for Nigeria to make progress, adding that he was very impressed with the progress Nigeria has made in the war against terrorism under President Buhari and assured the President that Britain will continue to support the Federal Government’s efforts to end Boko Haram insurgency.

Meanwhile, the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Kukasheka Usman, yesterday said that after troops of 27 Task Force Brigade repelled suspected terrorists on Geidam border town in Yobe State, the military has reinforced more troops to protect people’s lives and property against further terrorists’ attacks.

Usman in a statement issued yesterday in Maiduguri to newsmen said: “Wednesday’s attack was successfully repelled by the troops and the reinforcement sent to the border town with Niger Republic. The troops killed most of the attacking terrorists and destroyed their weapons and equipment.”

He, however, noted: “Regretfully too, we also lost three soldiers and some equipment during the encounter operational visit to North with Boko Haram terrorists.”

The Police Public Relations Officer of Yobe State Police Command, Toyin Gbadegesin, who said the situation in the town is calm, said: “Presently, security operatives are taken stock of destruction caused in the town, we will make it public after taking stock of the destruction inflicted on the town.