As we earlier reported, President Goodluck Jonathan made a surprise visit to Maiduguri, Borno State, where he assured Nigerians that all areas currently under the occupation of Islamist terrorists Boko Haram would soon be liberated, making it possible for displaced people to return to their homes.
Jonathan made the promise during a visit to a camp for internally displaced people. He asked the displaced people to bear with the Federal government, assuring them that his administration was doing everything possible to see that they returned to their communities soon.
“I believe from the briefing I got from security services most of these people [the displaced] will soon be relocated to their communities,” said the president. He added: “We know most of their houses have been destroyed, but immediately we take over the areas and secure [them], we will create camps within their communities and assist them financially so that they will gradually move away from the camps. We have [a] similar plan for people who are in neighboring countries, Cameroon, Niger and Chad.”
According to him, “It is a sad thing to be talking about internally displaced persons. Nobody is happy that you are displaced within your own land. Of course we all know that the issue of terror is global but the excesses of Boko Haram are quite traumatic for all of us. And we know that my good friend the governor of Borno State will not sleep because when I was the governor I had some tough time too in the Niger Delta. The issue of militancy is not an easy job to manage.”
Speaking further, Jonathan said, “As a president I feel traumatized whenever I hear about these excesses. I feel very burdened. Let me reassure all of you and indeed the IDPs that government is working very hard that you do not stay in these camps for too long.”
President Jonathan visited the headquarters of the Nigerian Army at the Maimalari barracks where he assured officers and soldiers of government’s commitment to the fight against Boko Haram insurgents.
Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno thanked the president for visiting the beleaguered state, adding that his visit had rekindled hope and confidence of the people that the insurgency would soon come to an end.
Speaking during the president’s visit, the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Kenneth Minimah, said the president was in the state to interact with officers and soldiers in appreciation for the sacrifices the soldiers were making in the ongoing war against Boko Haram in the northeast.
