The Federal Government has congratulated the gallant troops of
the Nigerian military for finally seizing the Sambisa Forest from the Boko Haram
terrorists and securing the North-east, paving the way for Sunday's re-opening
of two strategic roads in Borno State.
In a statement issued in Lagos on Monday, the Minister of
Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, appealed to Nigerians to continue
to support the troops as they clear the remnants of the terrorists who are now
on the run.
He also called for increased vigilance among Nigerians, as Boko
Haram escapees seek to integrate themselves into communities far and near, saying
eternal vigilance is the price of freedom.
''We urge Nigerians to keep our gallant and victorious troops in
their prayers, and to also imbibe the mantra of 'if you see something, say something'
as a way of ensuring that no escaped terrorist is able to wreak havoc in their
communities. It is also important to know that now that they have been
dispossessed of their fortress, the Boko Haram escapees will intensify their
cowardly attacks on vulnerable targets if only to maintain an illusion of
terror. But there should be no panic because the worst is over,'' Alhaji
Mohammed said.
While commending the military for the re-opening of the Maiduguri-Gubio-Damasak
road and the Maiduguri-Mungono-Baga road, which link Nigeria with neighbouring
countries, he hailed Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima for his unwavering
support for the military and his administration's determination to quickly
restore normalcy across the state.
The Minister said it was in recognition and celebration of the
great feat performed by the military that he decided to lead over 30 Nigerian
and international journalists to join the Hon. Minister of Defence, retired
Brig.-Gen. Mansur Dan Ali, the Service Chiefs and the Governor of Borno State,
at the opening of the two strategic roads in Borno on Sunday.
''Unfortunately, due to bad weather, our flight to Maiduguri
from Abuja was cancelled after several hours of waiting at the airport in Abuja.
However, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, accompanied by the
top brass of the military, re-opened the two arterial roads. This is very
significant because the two major roads, which were closed due to the
activities of the terrorists in the area, are of strategic importance to the
economy of the Lake Chad Region,'' he said.
Alhaji Mohammed said overall, the leadership provided by
President Muhammadu Buhari provided the much-needed impetus for the military's victory
in the North-east, and urged Nigerians to continue to give their unalloyed
support to the President in his untiring efforts to restore peace and security
across the country and also revamp the economy
Segun Adeyemi
SA to Hon Minister of Information and Culture
Lagos
26Dec2016
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