By Kenneth Kabiri.
Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari has vowed that never again will the Boko Haram terrorists occupy any part of the Nigerian territory.
The President said this at the 2017 Small Arms Championship which took place at the Sambisa forest, the former stronghold of the Boko Haram militnts in Northern Borno State.
The President was represented at the event by the Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan Ali, said that training in Sambisa forest, otherwise known as Camp Zero, was a show case of the defeat and degradation of of theinsurgent group.
Chief of Army Staff,Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, noted that the friendly contest was last conducted seven years ago.
He said that organising the exercise after the long break was part of the efforts to restore the professionalism and competency in the Nigerian Army.
Meanwhile, the government has also admitted that the leader of the Boko Haram sect, Abubakar Shekau, is not dead but alive and hiding somewhere in the Sambisa forest.
Mr. Dan Ali, stated that the Military has taken over the forest and will soon capture the leader of the sect.
Although, he disclosed that it had been difficult to arrest Shekau because the insurgents usually put on masks to conceal their identities. The minister said “it had been difficult to arrest Shekau because the insurgents usually put on masks to conceal their identities.
He said that the government would not relent in pursuing the Boko Haram leader, assuring that he would be arrested as soon as possible.
The minister said he briefed President Buhari on the performance of the Armed forces and the Security situation in the country. According to him, President Buhari was impressed with the performance of the Armed forces.
He said, ”Security situation is something that cannot get 100 percent, and remember that Nigeria has been having these turbulences for a long time.
We are trying to manage it and we are trying to make it solvable whereby every Nigerian will have peace and tranquility to do his normal business”.
The minister said that he also briefed President Buhari on the issue of Internally Displaced Persons (IDP), stressing that the government wanted to return to their homes for their normal economic activities.