Military Have Substantially Defeated Boko Haram, Bandits – FG

The Federal Government has said the Nigerian military has defeated Boko Haram terrorists and bandits holding sway in the country.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, made the disclosure at a joint press briefing held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Monday.

Mohammed was joined at the briefing by three other ministers namely Maj-Gen. Bashir Magashi (Defence); Rauf Aregbesola (Interior) and Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi (Police Affairs).

The four ministers were also joined by the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Leo Irabor, Naija News reports.

According to Mohammed, the country has overcome the high scale of terrorist attacks, stressing that terrorists and bandits have no place to hide anymore.

The minister, however, said that the nation may still witness isolated cases of security challenges in the North and other parts of the country.

He said: ”As you are all aware, the issue of security has dominated our national discourse in recent times, against the background of the terrorism, banditry and kidnapping in the North-East, North-West and North Central; separatist violence and crude oil theft in the South-East and South-South as well as cultism, armed robbery and sundry crimes in the South-West.

”Today, we are here to tell you that while we may not be there yet, our military and other security agencies have succeeded – and are succeeding – in substantially restoring security across the nation.

”As far as the daunting security challenges we face are concerned, we can tell you that the worst is over. Never again will terrorists and bandits and their cohorts hold sway in our country.”

No Cessation Of Hostilities Against Boko Haram, Others

Mohammed noted that the hostilities against Boko Haram, bandits, kidnappers and oil theft syndicates would continue until all the criminals are defeated.

He said: “Please note that whereas in conventional warfare, the parties can declare a truce or cessation of hostilities, upon reaching an agreement, it is not the same for the kind of unconventional warfare that our military has been fighting in recent years.

“We are therefore not saying the battle is over. No. What we are saying is that our military and other security agents have been able to contain the daunting security challenges we face and that the worst is indeed over.

”We have now put the terrorists, bandits and their ilk on the run and we will not relent until they have been crushed.”