With My Civil War Experience, I Know Threats Posed By Unexploded Devices – Buhari Assures Borno Of Solution

Nigeria's number one man, President Muhammadu Buhari has vowed to go tough on terrorists.

He ordered the Nigerian military to fish out terrorists in their hideouts and eliminate them.

Buhari, who visited the Borno State capital, Maiduguri, on Thursday, said that with his experience in the 1967 to 1970 civil war, he knew it was tough for residents returning to their communities because of the threats of unexploded improvised explosive devices planted by the Boko Haram terrorists.

The president, according to a statement issued by his Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, therefore asked the state government and other stakeholders to work with the military to ensure the threats were taken care of.

In the statement titled: "President Buhari directs humanitarian affairs ministry, others to ensure unimpeded return of IDPs in the North-East, directs security agencies to eliminate insurgents," Buhari directed the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, and its agencies to come up with specific programmes to address the urgent threats being posed in the North-East region.

Adesina said that Buhari gave the order on the occasion of the World Humanitarian Day, 2022, in Maiduguri.

To the military, he said, “The men and officers of Operation Lafiya Dole, Security Agencies and the Multi-National Joint Task Force are very much appreciated for their commitment to the fight against insurgency.

“I commend their professionalism and tactical penetration to the hideout of the criminal elements, leading to appreciable improvement of the security situation in this North-East Region, without which the resettlement of the IDP’s would not be possible.

“I, therefore, implore you not to relent in your efforts, continue to take the fight to their hideouts and ensure they are completely eliminated.”

The Commander-in-Chief also implored the military to ensure adequate security for farmers in their farming activities saying “Agricultural activities are most needed for settlement and development of the rural areas and this can only be achieved if the farmers are sure of their safety.”

Harping on unexploded improvised explosive devices, the President said, “The emerging issues include the increasing number of orphans and widows. From our experience in the unfortunate Civil War, I know the threat that unexploded ordnances can pose to returnees even after the conflict has ended as we saw in the latest IED incident in Bama just last week.

“I urge the Ministry and its agencies as well as State Governments and the Special Committee I have set up under the Chairmanship of the Vice President to come up with specific programmes and projects that respond to these emerging challenges of explosive ordnance as well as that of children orphaned by insurgency.”

On World Humanitarian Day, commemorated annually on August 19, President Buhari commended all humanitarian aid workers that provided the much-needed assistance to those afflicted by the conflict.