President Muhammadu Buhari Monday in Abuja directed the Nigerian Army to
withdraw soldiers from military check-points in relatively secure parts
of the country and concentrate more on ending the Boko Haram insurgency.
Speaking at a meeting with the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of
Defence, the Chief Of Defence Staff, Service Chiefs and Heads of National
Security Agencies, President Buhari said, however, that military
check-points could be retained in areas outside the North-Eastern states
where the military considered them absolutely essential for the
maintenance of national security.
Reaffirming his administration’s total commitment to ending the Boko Haram
insurgency in the shortest possible time, the President welcomed the
progress report he was given on the implementation of his order that the
Military Command Control Centre be relocated to Maiduguri.
President Buhari who, in keeping with the declared priorities of his
government, made the meeting with defence and security chiefs the top item
on his schedule on his first day at work in the Presidential Villa, also
expressed satisfaction at the progress made so far in the implementation
of the decision of the Lake Chad Basin Commission to fast-track the
deployment of the Multinational Joint Task Force based in Ndjamena.
The defence and security chiefs who met with the President and Vice
President Yemi Osinbajo for over three and half hours, also briefed them
on the refurbishment of existing military platforms and the acquisition
of new weapons for the Armed Forces.