Army has won war against Boko Haram –Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan has commended the role played by personnel of the Nigerian Army in restoring peace to the three states under emergency rule. He said security reports reaching him from those states indicate that the people in those states were regaining their lives, while government services and business activities were gradually picking up and returning to normal.
The president said the operational engagement of the Nigerian army and other security agencies in the troubled states has brought relative peace and restored the peoples confidence in the ability of the army to protect the territorial integrity of the nation from external enemies and secure the lives of law abiding citizens.
He, however, charged them to abide by the rules of engagement, respect human rights and make the welfare and well being of the people they are protecting their priority.
He equally urged them to continue in their good works of protecting the lives of Nigerians and foreigners living in the country and promised his administration’s continuous support to meet the demands of the military.
The president, who was dressed in full military combat fatigue, spoke at the grande finale of the Nigerian Army Day Celebration in Abuja, also thanked Nigerians for their cooperation and support over the emergency rule in some North East states in the country and reiterated his administration’s determination to stamp out terrorism and other related crimes while providing security for all law abiding citizens.
At the parade held at the Eagle Square, Abuja, personnel of the army displayed their combat skills in defending the territorial integrity of the country.
Jonathan called on those who he said are in the habit of causing disunity among Nigerians to give up their illicit trade and join hands in building a formidable Nigeria, saying, “to build Nigeria is a task that must be done.”
He commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Onyeabor Azubuike Ihejirika, for transforming the army into a force  able to meet contemporary challenges and for carrying out the renovation as well as servicing of equipments that are now aiding the army to effectively carry out their internal security operations duties across the country.
He also commended the creativity of personnel who have constructed various equipment for the Army, urging the army to retain some of these best brains even after retirement to tap from their wealth of knowledge.
Earlier in his address, General Onyeabor Azubuike Ihejirika, had vowed that the army would continue to remain apolitical and protect democracy.
He also said the army would do everything in its powers to secure and protect the territorial integrity of the nation from external invasion and harassment of its citizenry.
The army chief while commending president Jonathan for his continuous assistance to the army, said the current security challenges in the country has forced the army to establish new departments, directorates and battalions to curb the menace as well as draw the army closer to the civil populace.
He said under his leadership, the army has carried out the construction and renovation of various projects and training of personnel and members of other security agencies to curb the security challenges in the country.
Highlights of the celebration include physical training excercise displaying physical fitness of troops, paratrooping, featuring High Altitude Landing Operations(HALO), jumps, display of Military Police dogs on their bomb detection and search and rescue skills, display of various equipment and armoured fightng vehicles of the army, combat match past by all the corps in the Nigerian army, among others.
A total of 13 officers and four soldiers received the Chief of Army Staff Commendation Award, which was presented to them by President Goodluck Jonathan.