We are winning war against Boko Haram, FG insists

The Federal Government on Monday insisted that despite the isolated violence being witnessed in some parts of the country, Nigeria is winning the war against the Boko Haram sect.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Aliyu Ismaila, said this in an interview with journalists on the sideline of the ongoing 70th United Nations General Assembly holding in New York.

Ismaila said the nation’s security agencies were battle ready more than ever before to end insurgency in the country within the deadline given to them by President Muhammadu Buhari.

“We are winning the war. We have put machinery in place to meet the presidential deadline handed over to us and we are sure that the nation’s security agencies are up to the task,” he said.

Ismaila also expressed the conviction that Buhari’s participation in the UNGA would also attract benefits to the country.

He said, “The President is attending the UN General Assembly for the first time and he had created a great impact on issues concerning security, trade and investment as well as climate change.

“Nigeria is doing very well and we are very proud that we have a President who is very focused and who world leaders have tremendous confidence in.”

Ismaila also faulted the criticisms that have trailed Buhari’s absence at a meeting on Friday on the Boko Haram sect and internally displaced persons.

The permanent secretary insisted that the meeting was not in the President’s schedule.

He said if the country was aware of the parley, there was no way the President or his officials would not have attended, especially with the importance attached to the terrorism war.

He added, “It is most unfortunate that people just say whatever they feel like saying.

“Before we left Nigeria, there were meetings that were penciled down for the President to attend.

“On arrival here, these meetings were reviewed and some others were added.

“To the best of my knowledge, that meeting on Boko Haram was never included in the agenda.

“Nigeria is one country that is addressing this issue of Boko Haram. It is very important to the country and if it was included in the agenda, the President or his officials would have attended.”

Source: Punch