ABUJA, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)-Vice President Kashim Shettima has pledged that the Federal Government will end insurgency in the North-East with “decisive and overwhelming force.”
This commitment comes after recent attacks in Borno State that left both security personnel and civilians dead or injured.
In a statement on Saturday released by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima affirmed that the government will not be intimidated by the assaults, which included abductions in Ngoshe and coordinated strikes on military formations.
“We remain one nation, tied to a common destiny. The sanctity of human life is non-negotiable.
“This madness will be brought to an end, not with empty words, but with the decisive and overwhelming force of the Nigerian State,” the Vice President said.
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He added that additional tactical assets and intelligence-driven reinforcements are being deployed to affected areas in response to the attacks.
“The events of the past few days are a painful reminder of the shadow that persists, but let it be known: we choose light over shadow, and hope over despair.
“Our difference as a nation is the distance between the ruin of anarchy and the promise of order,” Shettima remarked.
The Vice President also revealed that President Bola Tinubu had been briefed on the incidents and had instructed the swift and complete mobilisation of the country’s security apparatus.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has already directed a swift and total mobilisation of our security architecture.
“The Federal Government will not tolerate any sanctuary for those who seek to displace our people or occupy an inch of Nigerian soil,” he added.
The recent attacks targeted military formations in Konduga, Marte, Jakana, and Mainok, with insurgents briefly overrunning some positions before reinforcements arrived.
In Ngoshe, residents were abducted by the attackers.
“We are not just fighting a war. We are defending the very soul of our humanity against those who preach a toxic rhetoric of hate, and we will not be cowed by their gory acts,” Shettima declared.
He assured Nigerians that those responsible for the attacks would face the full weight of the law and reiterated that the government will not rest until abducted citizens are safely returned to their families.
“Our hearts bleed for the families and the brave soldiers who paid the supreme price in the line of duty.
“This administration will not rest until abducted citizens safely reunite with their families,” the Vice President said.
Shettima also commended the resilience of the people and government of Borno State under Governor Babagana Zulum and praised the bravery of troops on the frontlines.
Earlier, President Tinubu called Governor Zulum to express his sympathy and solidarity over the attacks.
During an interfaith breaking of fast with service chiefs on Friday, the President reassured the military that Nigeria would overcome terrorism despite the recent incidents.
“I appreciate all the people facing the challenges of terrorism and banditry. We will win. Nigeria will prevail,” Tinubu stated.
Borno State has remained the epicentre of the Boko Haram insurgency and attacks by the Islamic State West Africa Province since 2009, despite continuous military efforts to weaken the terrorist groups.
Ngoshe, in Gwoza Local Government Area near the Cameroon border, has been repeatedly targeted by insurgents, with residents often abducted for ransom or forced labour.
The recent attacks come after a period of relative calm in some parts of the state over the past months.