Worst Over On Insecurity — FG

The Federal Government has said that the worst is over on insecurity.

It said terrorists and bandits and company can run but cannot hide.

It said never again will terrorists and bandits and their cohorts hold sway in the country.

It however said the nation may still witness isolated cases of security challenges here and there but no more on the high scale of the past.

But it ruled out cessation of hostilities against Boko Haram, bandits, kidnappers and oil theft syndicates.

The disclosures were made at a joint briefing by four ministers and the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Leo Irabor.

The Ministers are Lai Mohammed (Information); Maj-Gen. Bashir Magashi (Defence); Rauf Aregbesola (Interior) and Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi (Police Affairs).

Mohammed said: ” As you are all aware, the issue of security has dominated our national discourse in recent times, against the background of the terrorism, banditry and kidnapping in the North-East, North-West and North Central; separatist violence and crude oil theft in the South-East and South-South as well as cultism, armed robberry and sundry crimes in the South-West.

” Today, we are here to tell you that while we may not be there yet, our military and other security agencies have succeeded – and are
succeeding – in substantially restoring security across the nation.

” As far as the daunting security challenges we face are concerned, we can tell you that the worst is over.

“Never again will terrorists and bandits and their cohorts hold sway in our country.”

Mohammed said: “Please note that whereas in conventional warfare, the parties can declare a truce or cessation of hostilities, upon reaching an agreement, it is not the same for the kind of unconventional warfare that our military has been fighting in recent years.

“We are therefore not saying the battle is over. No. What we are saying is that our military and other security agents have been able to contain the daunting security challenges we face, and that the worst is indeed over.

” We have now put the terrorists, bandits and their ilk on the run and we will not relent until they have been crushed.”