Olalekan Adetayo, Abuja
The Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, on Wednesday, led security chiefs to a special session, where they briefed Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on various security challenges facing the country, especially terrorists’ activities in the North-East.
At the session, held inside the Presidential Villa, Abuja, were the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno; the Chief of Defence Staff, Gabriel Olonishakin; and other service chiefs; the Director General of the Department of State Services, Lawal Daura; and the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris.
Before the meeting continued behind closed doors, Dan-Ali commended the present administration for its continuous funding of the armed forces in the conduct of their operations.
This, he said, had impacted positively on the capacity of the armed forces and troops in fighting the Boko Haram terrorists in the North-East and other security threats across the country.
On behalf of the armed forces and other security agencies, the minister pledged their total commitment and loyalty to the President.
The minister added that the ongoing operation in the North-East had recorded tremendous success and had led to the restoration of normalcy in most parts of the affected areas.
He stated that efforts were ongoing to ensure that civil authorities took the lead role as quickly as possible in the affected areas.
He said, “Our troops in conjunction with the vigilante groups successfully conducted clearance operations in villages and Boko Haram camps, which led to the recovery of weapons and communication equipment as well as apprehension of many suspects.
“This is being supported by continuous aerial surveillance by the Nigerian Air Force so as to ensure that terrorists do not regroup.
“In addition, several high-profile Boko Haram commanders were arrested and over 20,000 persons, mostly women and children held hostage by the terrorists, were rescued.”
On the crisis in Southern Kaduna, the minister said peace talk was ongoing to address the current clashes between herdsmen and farmers in the communities.
He said some religious leaders, led by a former Head of State, Gen. Abdusalami Abubakar, were in Southern Kaduna to mediate between the herdsmen and the farmers.
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