The Ministers of Information, Defence, Interior and Budget, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Mansur Mohammed Dan Ali, Abdulrahman DanBazau and Hajiya Zainab Ahmed have in a joint special edition of Military and Security agencies Town Hall Meeting for the north east Monday held at the multi purpose hall of the government house Maiduguri assured full support to the military to end the insurgency and improve the livelihood of the displaced persons in the north east.

The Minister of Defence General Mansur Mohammed Dan Ali has assured continuous and regular payment of salaries and allowances to the troops deployed to operation Lafiya dole.

He added that the war against boko Haram insurgency was successful as the insurgents have been degraded and remnants were being cleared completely to bring an end the insurgency having recorded remarkable achievements recently in the past three weeks under the leadership of Major General Rogers Nicholas as the Theater Commander of Operation Lafiya dole hence the Sambisa forest hide outs and arms manufacturing places of the insurgents have been destroyed.

On the issue of recruiting Civilian JTF, he said there are procedures and requirements to be followed and complied with respective by the CJTF despite the fact that the military has engaged them at the war front.

Mansur said there was still much to be done to identify those qualified for engagement into the Nigerian military while defence policy and armed forces policy were being reviewed for improvement.

He also said that the federal government has released enough funds for the procurement or arms and vehicles as well as aircraft as fighter jets for operations across the country while training and retraining of the military personnel was on course and deployment was also in progress for those who have over stayed.

He commended the government and people of Borno for their support in the fight against insurgency and urged them to continue while thanking President Buhari for his support and commitment to the military operations across the country since he assumed office.

Minister of Interior, General Abdulrahman Dan Bazau pledged to deploy more Security personnel to the liberated areas and ensure the smooth repatriation of Nigerians from the neighbouring countries of Niger, Chad and Cameroon Republics noting that over 89% of the refugees were from Borno state while 20% were from Adamawa sate.

He said an MOU has been signed already between both countries for proper repatriation of the Nigerian refugees despite the fact that they were being properly taking care of by the host countries.

Danbazau added that internal security facilities destroyed by the boko Haram insurgents including road check points were being rebuilt towards returning peace returns back to the region.

He further assured that civil authorities in all the ravaged areas were being reformed and rebuilt to ensure that adequate security is being provided to the IDPs returnees in their host communities when they finally relocate from IDPs camps to their homes or houses not from IDPs camp to another IDPs camp.

The minister commended the Borno state government efforts in its reconstruction, rehabilitation and resettlement programmes and appreciated the role of the Nigerian military in restoring peace in the state and region.

The minister of Budget and Planning Hajiya Zainab Ahmed had earlier explained that federal government has budgeted enough funds for the rebuilding of the north east destroyed by the insurgency pointing out that over 75 NGOs have been on partnership services and activities in the region especially Borno state.

She however urged those who were yet to be register to do so immediately or find themselves screened out of the humanitarian activities in the north east.

Zainab however commended Governor Kashim Shettima for his support and cooperation as well as participation in the on going reconstruction and rehabilitation process of the government , assuring that the ministry will continue to budget adequate funds to support the rebuilding activities in order for the IDPs to return to their host communities as security situation in their communities improves and the areas are liberated by the military.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed had earlier in his opening remark said the purpose of organizing the special edition of the military and Security agencies town hall meeting in Maiduguri was to celebrate the successes the Nigerian military and other security agencies have achieved so far in eliminating the boko Haram insurgents having degraded them and now clearing their remnants in the sambisa forest.

He thanked President Buhari for His support and commitment while appreciating Governor Kashim Shettima for great role in ensuring that peace returns to the state.

He commended the sacrifices and determination of the service chiefs, theater commander, general officers commanding and the troops deployed to operation Lafiya dole for their wonderful and sincere commitment, resilience, steadfastness, disciplined and loyalty in the fight against the boko Haram insurgency since the president directed the military to relocate to Maiduguri to face the war squarely.

He thanked the civilian JTF also and other security agents for playing a great role in the restoration of peace in the state and region while assuring that federal government was determined to see to the end of the insurgency without any fear or favour.

Lai said president Buhari has the will to support and assist the Nigerian military to end the fight and rerun peace back to the state and region in order to allow socio-economic activities to prosper for the betterment of the people.

He expressed satisfaction with the level of reconstruction and rehabilitation works so far executed by the state government and assured more support and assistance from the federal government in this regard.

Senators from Borno South and Borno North, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume and Senator Abu Kyari respectively appealed for more support and funding from the federal government and other agencies especially the international community while acknowledging the efforts and sacrifices of the Nigerian military in restoring peace in the state as well as other security agencies.

They also appealed to the government to support the state government to resettle the IDPs back to their host communities and provide them with basic amenities and facilities among others especially women and children educational facilities.

Both senators urged the federal government to intervene in the federal highways or roads dilapidation in the north east to ease movements of people and goods as well as services in the region while Senator Ali Ndume appreciated the support and role played by the members of the national assembly in the passage of the North East Development Commission Bill and President Buhari for assenting to the bill.

Senator Ndume however appealed for more funding of the PCNI and Bama Initiative among others to ease development and better the lives of the displaced persons.

Two House of Representatives members Barrister Mohammed Tahir Monguno representing Monguno, Marte and Nganzai federal constituency and Dr. Asabe Vilita Bashir representing, Damboa, Chibok and Gwoza constituency were at the town hall meeting and made their submission on the welfare of IDPs, poverty and infrastructural challenges among others.

Representatives of Yobe and Gombe states were absent at the town hall meeting but those of Taraba and Adamawa states prayed for the leadership of the state security agencies and troops while appealing for improved poverty line of the people and restoration of peace permanently as Governor Kashim Shettima highlighted the destructions and killings made by the boko Haram insurgents from 2009 to date leaving behind thousands of innocent people killed and widows or widowers and orphans while commending the efforts and sacrifices of the Nigerian military and CJTF among other security agencies.

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