Buhari restates commitment to fight terrorism

• Military tasks media on insecurity in North-East
• U.S. gives $240 million humanitarian aid to IDPs
President Muhammadu Buhari has said that his administration is committed to the fight against corruption and terrorism.

The President stated this yesterday in Bauchi at the Nigeria Air Force Re-Union 2016, which was part of activities to mark the 52nd anniversary of Nigerian Air Force.

Represented by the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Gabriel Olanisakin, Buhari said: “I want to assure Nigerians of the Federal Government’s effort to rid the nation of corrupt elements and terrorists.”

He also stated the government’s resolve to do everything possible to protect lives and property as well as ensure development across the country.

“This event is coming at a time the Nigerian Air Force and other agencies are fully involved in the fight against insurgency in the country. The Federal Government will continue to vigorously pursue the change agenda and much more will be demanded of the military”, he said.

He commended the Nigerian Armed Forces for their efforts in the fight against insurgency in the North-East region.

The President thereby enjoined retired officers and men of the Air Force to join the fight against terrorism, saying: “The country needs the contribution of retired officers and men who served in the Air Force and contributed to service of fatherland now more than at any other time, particularly in our fight against insurgency and terrorism.”

In his address, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Saddique Abubakar, said the aim of the reunion is to create a forum for wider consultation in order to reposition the Nigerian Air Force for effective service delivery in response to national security.

In another development, the U.S. government has announced the release of about $240 million (about N76.8 billion) as development and humanitarian assistance to displaced persons across the Lake Chad Basin.

The U.S. Department of State in a statement yesterday, which however did not identify the recipients, said that the fund was to provide affected persons and refugees with transitional assistance.

The statement also said that the grant would be used to provide the recipients with psycho-social services, health programmes, as well as emergency education for their children.

Meanwhile, the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole in the North-East, Maj.-Gen. Lucky Irabor, has tasked the media on addressing insecurity to lives and property in the country, as the military needs its support to sustain the fight against Boko Haram to the finish.

Irabor, who gave the charge when he paid a courtesy visit to the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) at the Ramat Square Shopping Complex, Maiduguri, said the military and other security agencies are the custodians of the Nigerian citizenry and the country’s territorial integrity.