President Muhamma­du Buhari has vowed that no terrorists will take over and occupy any part of Nigeria’s territory under his administration.
The President made the vow on Monday when he declared the 2017 Ni­gerian Army Small Arms Championship (NASAC), opened.
Represented by the Min­ister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, Buhari noted that holding the championship in the forest was an affir­mation that government was resolved to stamp out all activities and operations of the Boko Haram insur­gents from the territory.
Buhari said: “This cham­pionship is a showcase of the clear effect and degra­dation of the Boko Haram terrorist group with the destruction of Camp Zero in the heart of the famous Sambisa forest.
“I can say categorically that never again will Boko Haram occupy any of our land.
“I want use this oppor­tunity to congratulate the Nigerian Army for this achievement and reiterate at this point by noting that it is a case of professional training that brought the Nigerian Army to this length.”
Buhari restated that through the Presidential Committee on North-East Initiative (PCNI), govern­ment would reconstruct facilities and structures destroyed by the terrorists so that the people of the re­gion could enjoy the divi­dends of democracy.
Earlier, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, said the champi­onship was held at the for­est to consolidate on the gains achieved by troops in the North East so far.