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| President Jonathan waving at troops upon arrival at Baga |
By Blogger
Adorned in full military regalia befitting a War General, President Goodluck Jonathan, today (Thursday) stepped out of a military chopper armed with a General's Staff on the left hand, and waved triumphantly, at a cheering troops in Baga town of Kukawa local government area of Borno state.It was indisputably his first longest trip within the shores of Nigeria to the north as a president, away from the nation's capital, Abuja which was about 1, 189km northeast.
The dusty atmosphere was charged with excitement as soldiers who had 24 hours earlier been informed of a next rank automatic promotions for being the reason Baga was liberated, continued to cheer the Command-in-Chief.
Almost at the same time that the president was visiting the liberated town of Baga after an earlier visit to Mubi town in Adamawa state, 19 innocent persons had just got killed in Biu town of Southern Borno state, some 319km away when a suicide bomber detonated himself.
Baga is about 389km northeast of Biu town, a town situated 166km southeast of Mubi in Adamawa state.
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| President Jonathan acknowledging cheers while inspecting munitions recovered from Boko Haram terrorists |
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| A snapshot of map showing President Jonathan's visit to the Northeast |
President Jonathan’s visit was, from its coloration, a quiet and very private one. He arrived Maiduguri International Airport at about noon and was immediately choppered to Mubi, 250km south of Maiduguir from where he was flown directly to Baga, a distance of about 423km away from Mubi.
The president was visiting barely 24 hours after the Nigerian Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Keneth Minima, had visited Baga on Wednesday, a trip he told newsmen was a confidence building for the troops that liberated the Borno border town.
Kenneth Minima has mentioned in an interview yesterday that given the successes achieved by the troops in Baga the president might likely visit the troops.
Journalists were able to track down the number-one citizen at the time he was boarding his flight to return back to Abuja through the Maiduguri international airport.
President Jonathan told newsmen at the airport that the journey to end the Boko Haram insurgency had just begun aggressively.
"First and foremost I went to see our soldiers and to encourage them on their gallantry efforts. I also went to convey the appreciation of Nigerians to them,’’ he said.
The president said he was also there to examine first hand the weapons that were recovered from the terrorists.
"Also I went to inspect the weapons we have and to visit communities devastated by the excesses of Boko Haram. I just went to see things for my self,’’ he said.
On what happens after the liberation of the seized towns in the northeast Nigeria, the President said "I know the there are government departments that will handle the rehabilitation of damaged communities.
"It is good for you as a president to appreciate things your self so that when people are briefing you, you know exactly what they are saying’’.
"Am very hopeful this time around that the journey to end Boko Haram insurgency has commenced very aggressively and will soon get to an end,’’ he said.
President Jonathan was accompanied by the Chief of Defense Staff Air Mashal Alex Badeh, the Chief of Army Staff Lt-Gen. Kenneth Minimah, the Security Adviser Col. Sambo Dasuki and the Inspector General of Police Alhaji Suleiman Abba among others.
While the President was giving the much needed assurances about ending the Boko Haram insurgency, a suicide bomber who could not get to his market place destination let the IED worn around his body to explode on the way killing himself, 19 others and badly injured 17 others.
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| The President in group photos with commanding officers |
Biu had suffered three serial suicide bombings in the last two weeks. The last occurred on Wednesday last week.
An eyewitness, Nasiru Buhari, who is an operative of the Civilian-CJF said he counted 19 corpses including the suicide bomber.
“We have taken 20 corpses to the hospital, comprising 19 innocent persons and the remains of the suicide bomber. So far we have 17 injured persons that have been admitted in the hospitaL”, said Buhari.
Witnesses said the suicide bomber who may have been heading towards Biu market could not get to his destination because of the serious security checking mounted by local vigilante on the way leading to the market area.
“It happened at about 3pm; the man was being driven in a commercial tricycle that also carried other passengers; some few hundred meters to the checkpoint ahead the market, he alighted the tricycle and started walking towards those standing by the road side and in few seconds he blew himself killing all the passengers and those around the spot where the blast occurred.
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| President Jonathan in group photo with rank and file soldiers in Baga |
A top security officer in Maiduguri who doesn't want to be named in this report confirmed the incident to journalists that “We have received a report about the blast from our officers in Biu. We are aware that over a dozen have been killed and many others injured; but we are not sure of the actual casualty figures yet”.
Meanwhile, the Governorship candidate of the PDP in Borno state, Alhaji Mohammed Imam had described bemoaned the serial attack by suicide bombers in Biu town even as he prayed for the repose of those that lost their lives therein.
A statement issued by the Media Coordinator of his campaign organisation, Mr. Inuwa Bwala "The governorship Candidate of the PDP, Alhaji Mohammed Imam wish to sympathise with the Emir of Biu, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Umar Mustapha Aliyu, the good people of Biu and the entire Borno citizenry over the unfortunate explosion in Big which claimed lives and injured many others.
"May Allah also expose the perpetrators of this carnage, even as we (PDP) wish to call on our citizens to be vigilant and to be prayerful so that we see to the end of this evil era. Borno shall be well again when we think wisely".
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