The Nigeria Police Force and Nigeria Security and civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) will henceforth hold ground in the areas that have been cleared of Boko Haram terrorists who were hitherto occupying them.

The Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali disclosed this when the management of Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC) visited him in his office in Abuja.

He explained that the military is not expected to be saddled with the civil responsibility of keeping law and order in every liberated community while at the same time be engaged in the continuous mop-up operations across the length and breadth of the North-East.

Dan-Ali said: “As we fight and clear out the terrorists in the different communities and towns in the North-East, we expect the Nigeria Police and the Civil Defence to hold ground in the freed areas. This will enable the troops to concentrate in advancing into more areas of operation without being distracted by the responsibility of maintaining law and order in the liberated areas.”

The minister expressed concern over the increasing spate of Fulani-farmers clashes and kidnapping in some parts of the country. He gave assurance that the government would continue to engage community leaders and traditional rulers to find common ground and lasting solutions to incessant crises.

Dan-Ali once again called upon members of the public, particularly the civil society groups and non-governmental organisations, to do more, especially in bringing their specialised interventions in the internally displaced camps and in the liberated areas to which people are currently returning.

The minister commended CCC for their commitment in partnering with relevant security and response agencies in the country to provide effective crisis information to the public. He stated that the Ministry of Defence will partner with Centre in the areas of creating awareness on the role the civil-military relationship in the fight against insurgency and other crimes in the country.

Earlier in his remarks, CCC Executive Secretary, Air Commodore Yusuf Anas (rtd.), expressed the centre’s appreciation of the minister’s pragmatic approach in addressing not only the insurgency in the North-East but in other parts of the country where the corporate interest of the nation is threatened. He promised that CCC would continue to synergise with the Ministry of Defence and other relevant stakeholders to effectively manage crisis in our country.

•Photo shows Defence Minister Dan-Ali.

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