Democracy Day: Boko Haram Is Almost Defeated – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has noted that the military has recorded considerable progress in the fight against Boko Haram terrorists and bandits under his leadership.

The President said this during his democracy day speech to Nigerians on Friday.

Buhari in his democracy day broadcast to Nigerians on Friday morning noted that the Armed Forces of Nigeria have considerably downgraded such security threats including taking back some local governments previously held by the insurgents.

He added that economic activities are gradually returning to such areas previously under the captivity of the insurgents and bandits.

“Ending insurgency, banditry and other forms of criminality across the nation is being accorded appropriate priorities and the men and women of the Armed Forces of Nigeria have considerably downgraded such threats across all geo-political zones,” the president said.

“All the Local Governments that were taken over by the Boko Haram insurgents in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa have long been recovered and are now occupied by indigenes of these areas who were hitherto forced to seek a living in areas far from their ancestral homes.

“The total collapse of the economies of these areas, which constituted a threat to our food security, has also been reversed with the gradual recovery of farming and other economic activities.

However, President Buhari said the Boko Haram insurgents that killed over 80 persons recently in Borno State, took advantage of the lockdown imposed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic to carry out their acts in remote areas.

While sympathizing with those affected in the attack and other attacks in the country, the President assured that the terrorists will be brought to justice.

“I regret recent sporadic incidents with tragic loss of lives in Katsina and Borno States as a result of criminals taking advantage of COVID-19 restrictions. Security Agencies will pursue the perpetrators and bring them to swift justice,” he said.

The President further promised to strengthen security and intelligence assets in the country to enable security agencies to continue to have the upper hand and ultimately win the war against insurgency.