The Federal Government yesterday vowed to ensure the release of Leah Sharibu who was abducted by Boko Haram insurgents in 2018.
President Muahmmadu Buhari who gave the assurance said all the girls abducted by the insurgents would be reunited with their families soon.
President Buhari who was represented at the Nigerian Army Day Celebration (NADCEL) parade at the Ikeja Cantonment, by the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, said that the government would not relent in its fight against the insurgents.
He commended the Nigerian Army for ensuring that no territory of the country was taken by the Boko Haram terrorists, pointing out that in the earlier part of 2015, 17 local governments were in the hands of the terrorists.
“We must and will continue to demonstrate the political will and determination towards ensuring that our land is rid of insurgency and criminality is kept at the barest minimum.
“During the first term of this administration we worked tirelessly to lay the foundation for the Nigeria that works for all of us, regardless of ethnicity, religion and party affiliation, our priorities were and remained, security, economy and fight against corruption,” he noted.
The President said that the security challenges in the country were being tackled in collaboration with the Nigerian Armed Forces, pointing out that, “the challenge for us is to recognise this sick extremism of Boko Haram for what it is and form alliances across faith, ethnicities, to destroy an evil that confronts us all.
“We will continue to demonstrate the political will and determination towards ensuring that our land is rid of insurgency and that criminality is kept at the barest minimum.
“There are also other situations of insecurity in our midst, the Fulani herders and farmer conflicts, random killings, banditry and kidnapping.
“In different parts of the country, there are challenges that the army has had to intervene in, in many occasions.
“We assure all Nigerians that these challenges are been seriously tackled by the Federal Government working with the states through a multi-pronged approach, working with the Nigerian Army and all our security forces and law enforcement agencies.
“Nobody will be allowed to maim, kill or commit other crimes and escape. It is our duty to apprehend and punish these criminals and we are doing that and we will continue to do so,” he said. Buhari urged the judiciary to ensure timely dispensation of justice in the cases of arrested bandits.
