President Goodluck Jonathan has issued a fresh mandate to the military to put an end once and for all to the activities of insurgent Boko Haram sect within the next three months to enable the Federal Government execute projects meant for the Northeast geo-political zone which are allegedly stalled due to insecurity and violence in the region.
Before the declaration of a state of emergency last month by President Jonathan on Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states, residents of some states in the north had lived under the perpetual fear of insurgents.
The new presidential directive, it was learnt, is part of efforts by the FG to ensure that the six months emergency regime in the affected states was not extended.
An informed source in the security circle disclosed that the latest directive was part of the outcome of the last Security Council meeting held in the State House.
At the meeting on Tuesday presided by the President were the National Security Adviser, all service chiefs, led by the Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Ola Sa’ad Ibrahim, the Inspector-General of Police, the security chiefs, the ministers of state for defence, police and interior.
The source stated that Jonathan without mincing words told the Security Council that he wanted the Boko Haram menace to become a thing of the past within the shortest time possible.
“After listening to the briefs from the military chiefs about the situation in the three states where the state of emergency is in force, President Jonathan expressed his satisfaction with them and told them that he had promised the whole world that the state of emergency declared in those states would be lifted before the six months allowed by the constitution. He then told them, ‘I want an end to the Boko Haram (sect) within the next three months’ and they all promised to do so,” the source disclosed.
According to the source, the CDS, Admiral Ibrahim, assured the president that the rules of engagement were strictly obeyed and that civilian casualties were being avoided by the troops.
The minister of state for defence, Erelu Olusola Obada, allegedly decried how the insurgency had prevented the affected states from benefitting from the transformation agenda and stressed that if the presidential directive was enforced, the government would be able to make impact in the region before the next general election.
i pray 4 d security men.
I am really impress with such order, if only this country have such action i think so many youths will think properly before going into such mess. I want to use this medium to say thank u to mr, president goodluck ebele jonathan. Ogbonuma we’rgree e tain, aloah.