President Goodluck Jonathan has ordered for a joint operation involving all the security agencies in the country with a view to tracking down members of the Boko Haram sect and other criminals.

Since the menace of terrorism orchestrated by the sect began, so many security reports and intelligence gathering have been pointing to the border porosity as one of the factors responsible for the seemingly endless terrorism.

Thus in lieu of the recent security breaches recorded at Bagar, Bama and a few other towns in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States that led to the declaration of a state of emergency, the security agencies have began the monitoring of the country’s border to stop the incursion of terrorists coming from the neighbouring countries.

The director, defence information, Brig-Gen Chris Olubolade, in a statement issued in Abuja stated that the operations involved all the security agencies in the country as mandated by the president. The defence headquarters assured the populace of adequate security of lives and property in this trying period.

The statement reads in part, “In furtherance of the Commander-in-Chief’s directive, the Nigerian Armed Forces, the Nigeria Police and other security agencies have commenced operations to rid the nation’s border territories of terrorist bases and activities. The military operation will focus on tracking down criminal elements within the vicinity of border communities prone to terrorist activities.

Late Pilot Officers Receive Full Military Burial
Meanwhile, the minister of state for defence, Erelu Olusola Obada yesterday said that none of the military personnel who laid down their lives in the course of peace keeping operations or internal security keeping would die in vain.

The minister gave this assurance where the Nigerian Air Force gave a full military burial to the remains of Squadron leader Benjamin Bem Ado and flying officer Ayuba Joab Layelmenson who died in Alpha Jet aircraft accident in Niamey on 12 April 2013 on their way to Mali for the peace keeping operation.

Obada noted that the two pilots gallantly sacrificed their lives so that peace will reign in Africa.“We must see their death as a call to duty and must not allow their death to be in vain.”

She disclosed that President Goodluck Jonathan shared in the grieve and appreciated their sacrifices and would not relent in his commitment and support for the armed forces to ensure the unity of the country.

In his sermon titled, “Beauty and brevity of life” taken from the Book of Psalm 90, Wing Commander, (Rev) Dogo Barri Gani of the Nigeria Air Force Chaplaincy said the life of a man was like a flower that springs up and wither in a short while. He said that “within the short time of our beauty what will you be remembered for?”

http://leadership.ng/news/160513/military-operation-secure-border-begins

Very very Good

Were the pilots on a suicide mission,brought down by islamists or failed by nigerian lack of maintenance culture?The minister should clearly state what killed them,not weeping up undue sentiments and fowl promises.