•As Police, DSS plan improved collaboration against insecurity
The Federal Government has stated that Boko Haram terrorists in the North-East have been degraded and routed out from their major enclaves while victims of the crisis are returning home.
The Minister of Interior, Lieutenant-General Abdulrahman Dambazau, said this at the regional seminar on Media engagement in crisis management, organised by the Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC), Port-Harcourt, Rivers State.
“The war in the North-East with Boko Haram has been fought and won. The Boko Haram elements have been routed, degraded and are being decimated,” he said .
“The task before us is winning the peace, as the victims are gradually returning to their homes and the government is rebuilding, reconciling and rehabilitating the victims. And this is where crisis communication and management becomes indispensable in building confidence and consensus among the people”
The minister, who was represented by the director, Press and Public Relations, Willy Basey, also called on the media to support the peace-building and political stability through fair and objective reportage. “The government and the media are partners in progress. Activities and programme sof government, if not properly disseminated by the media, could create a gulf between the people and the government, therefore, engendering crisis.
Also, the Nigerian Army has confirmed the killing of 42 Boko Haram insurgents during a clearance operation at Garere Village, in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State.
This was contained in a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday by the army spokesman, Colonel Sani Usman.
Colonel Usman also said that 80 hostages comprising 38 women and 42 children were rescued during the operation late Tuesday evening.
He said the operation followed an intelligence report on the convergence and massing up of the insurgents in the area.
He said the intelligence report indicated that the insurgents were planning attacks on communities in the area.
“The operation tagged “Operation Tiger claw”, followed a confirmed intelligence report on the convergence and massing up of dislodged Boko Haram terrorists at Garere Village, in Kukawa.
Meanwhile, Police personnel and their Directorate of State Services (DSS) counterpart have commenced moves aimed at improving the collaboration in the fight against insecurity in the country.
The Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, who said this when he visited the headquarters of the agency, said the force needed to seek the cooperation, as it was only through synergy with relevant security agencies that the country could overcome the current security challenges.
Responding, the Director General, DSS, Mr Lawal Musa Daura, commended the IGP for the visit, assuring him that the Department of State Security Services will give maximum support to the drive of the IGP in ensuring that the country overcomes its security challenges.
He further said the cooperation was incumbent on the DSS as the agency has historical link with the Nigeria Police, saying that the country was expecting more from the IGP, having seen his track records in policing.