Buhari: Battle waged against terrorists pretending to be Islamic fighters almost over

President Muhammadu Buhari says the war against terrorists “who falsely masquerade under the name of Islam is approaching its conclusion”.

The president stated this in a Sallah message issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu on Sunday.

Wishing Muslims in Nigeria and across the globe a happy Eid, President Buhari stated, “After a period of fasting and reflection, this year, we have cause to welcome the occasion in hope. The battle waged against terrorists who falsely masquerade under the name of Islam is approaching its conclusion.

“The fight has been long and hard. Final victory is within sight. Boko Haram and its offshoots’ final embers are now fading.”

The president recalled that the leader of Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) was killed in an airstrike last month.

He further stated that since the New Year, thousands of fighters have surrendered to enter rehabilitation programmes while the territories they used to occupy were now seeing the return of those who were forced to flee their barbarity.

“Normality is finally beginning to return to the Northeast. It is a long process. Yet it is one we are, together, now embarking upon.

“With the designation of bandit groups as terrorists, the challenges of banditry and kidnapping are being tackled differently in the North-western and North Central states where the latest military acquisitions and the Armed Forces are being fanned out across the region to thwart acts of terror.

“The administration is equally getting impressive reports of the special operations to curb crude oil theft and illegal oil bunkering in the South-South, with millions of illegally refined products being impounded and illegal refineries destroyed.

“While we are making progress cleaning the environment, some evil people are busy causing more pollution and destruction.

‘‘In response to the disturbing rise in criminal attacks targeting law enforcement and public facilities in the South East, concerted military operations to rid the region of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Eastern Security Network (ESN) elements have, in recent weeks, led to the overrunning of IPOB/ESN bases, the seizure of weapons and the arrest of a large number of suspects.’’

According to the statement, the President approved the establishment of a Naval Base in Oguta, Imo State.

“The reinvigoration of the war against drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking is also showing positive results as shown by the arrest of over 12, 300 offenders including seven drug barons; the conviction of 1,400, counseling and rehabilitation of about 8,000 drug users.

“The seizure of over 3.4 million kilograms of drugs and cash worth over N130 billion, all in 2021 has been recorded while the first Quarter of this year has seen the arrest of no fewer than 3,536 offenders including security personnel and a well-known billionaire drug baron. The seizure of more than 65,000 tons of assorted drugs in this period sets a record for the nation.”

The statement further disclosed that President Buhari granted approvals for the promotion of more than 3,500 officers, the procurement of operational equipment, training for personnel and buildings for residential barracks, with a view to giving impetus to the concerned agency.

It said that the President also directed increased coordination and cooperation among security agencies, saying that an end has been brought to a silo approach among the agencies, assuring that there will be no shortage of funds to provide security for the citizens.