FG Commissions Reconstructed Military Formations Destroyed By Insurgents In Borno
As fight against Boko Haram terrorism continue to gain more ground and operational bases of Boko Haram is degraded, the Federal Government has commenced the reconstruction of military formations and facilities destroyed by the Boko Haram insurgents.
The Minister of Defense, Mohammed Mansir DanAli has commissioned various projects at the 79 composite group of the Nigerian Air force Base, Maiduguri, destroyed by Boko Haram insurgents on 2nd December 2013, Military Command and Control Center, the trauma cetre and quarters at the Maimalari Barracksand the headquarters of 7th Division, Maiduguri.
The Minister while commissioning the newly reconstructed facilities at the headquarters of 79 composite group said “i am here to commission reconstructed facilities destroyed by the Boko Haram insurgents on 2nd December 203, this signifies that we are wining the war against the insurgency, as they have been degraded and can no long carry out attacks except on soft targets through bomb attacks in public places”.
“In the past seven months we have gained ground in our fight against terrorism in the Northeast , our soldiers our heroes whom some have paid the supreme price in defending their Fatherland that is why we are naming the 20 Housing units in the Air force base after our late Wing Commander C S Hedima”..
He said the soldiers are our heroes and that they are duty bound to ensure their labour and scarifies in the past, present and future is not in vein.
He said President Buhari has promised to be totally committed to the fight against insurgency and he is committed to routing out insurgency in the North-east and country at large and called on the people of the state and Nigeria in general to continue supporting the military through giving useful information.
The minister assured the people of Borno that Boko Haram insurgency will soon be a thing of the past and that government is considering recruiting some members of Civilian JTF into various security agencies.
Eelier in his speech, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar said the facilities commissioned are some of those destroyed by Boko Haram insurgents, when they attacked the Airforce base on 2nd December two years ago which consists of offices, Engineering wing and staff quarters among others and were rebuilt by the Air force to give conducive working environment to the soldiers.
“in order to effectively carry out the fight against insurgency we have opened more operational bases including one in Monguno to effectively stem out insurgency in the country,” Abubakar stated
While at the Maimalari Barracks, the Theatre Commander Major General Yushau Abubakar commened President Buhari and the Minister of Defense for their support to the military in achieving these success, adding that this was the first time a Minister of Defense is visiting the command and control Centre since it's establishment in Maiduguri.
A t the Government House, Maiduguri, Governor Kashim Shettima commended the military for their gallantry, as according to him before the inception of President Buhari's administration seven months ago, 22 local government area were under Boko Haram occupation but the military have succeeded in routing them out of 20 ;local governments with only two local governments which are not completely liberated .
He said his government will continue to support the military in the fight against Boko Haram, adding that in 2014 his government expanded N741 million in procuring Hilux vehicles for the Army and N310 million in procuring 20 vehicles for members of Civilian JTF in addition to the procurement and distribution of vehicles to other security outfits in the state.