President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday paid an unannounced visit to Yola from where he proceeded to Mubi to encourage soldiers of 155 Special Task Force battalion in Mubi town of Adamawa state.
The president used the visit to pay a courtesy call on the Emir of Mubi, Alhaji Abubakar Isa, where he sympathized with the people of Mubi over the loss of their loved ones and property as a result of the activities of the insurgents.
Sources say the president touched down at the Yola International Airport around 11 am amid tight security and immediately boarded a chopper to Mubi alongside Service Chiefs and the Inspector General of Police.
The president’s helicopter landed at the Mubi army barracks from where he took a ride to the emir’s palace to meet with the Emir and members of the Mubi Emirate traditional council.
Bala Abdulkadri, who resides in Mubi disclosed that there was heavy security presence in Mubi during President Jonathan’s brief visit.
He further revealed that “On leaving the Emir’s palace, the President and his entourage headed for Vimtim village, which is the home town of Chief of Defence Staff, Chief Air Marshall Alex Badeh.”
An unnamed villager dwelling in Vintim stated that President Jonathan upon arrival entered into a closed-door meeting with the three Service Chiefs who had gone ahead of the President to Vimtim.
Addressing officers and men of the Nigerian Army in both towns, which were recently recaptured from Boko Haram, President Jonathan declared that he and
all Nigerians were very proud of the bravery, competence and patriotism with which they were now undertaking operations to expel the insurgents from all parts of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.
The President said that with their recent successes, which have overwhelmingly turned the tide against Boko Haram, the Nigerian military has proven beyond any doubt that it remains fully capable of defending the territorial integrity of Nigeria.
The military’s recent victories against Boko Haram, President Jonathan told the troops, have also proven conclusively that all those, within and outside the country, who cast aspersions on Nigerian soldiers and questioned their ability and willingness to overcome the insurgents were misinformed and wrong.
President Jonathan, who was accompanied on the trip by the National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki and all the Service Chiefs, assured the troops that the Federal Government will ensure that they receive all the equipment and logistics they require to complete the ongoing mission to reassert government’s effective control over all areas formerly held by Boko Haram.
The President promised the soldiers that all issues pertaining to their welfare will be properly and expeditiously addressed.
He assured them that they will be duly rewarded for their bravery and patriotic service to the nation at the successful conclusion of ongoing operations against Boko Haram.
Families of soldiers who have sadly lost their lives in battles against Boko Haram will also be well provided for, the President further assured the troops.
The soldiers responded to the President’s address with chants of “Never Again” and assured him that insurgents and terrorists will never again be allowed to take and hold any Nigerian territory.
