Jonathan sneaks into Maiduguri

The last time Jonathan visited Maiduguri was in March, 2013 and few days later emergency rule was declared in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states. The President arrived at the Maiduguri International Airport at 2.54 pm in an Air Force Jet. His arrival was preceded by a contingent of about 200 soldiers and policemen who were […]

The last time Jonathan visited Maiduguri was in March, 2013 and few days later emergency rule was declared in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.
The President arrived at the Maiduguri International Airport at 2.54 pm in an Air Force Jet. His arrival was preceded by a contingent of about 200 soldiers and policemen who were flown in by a military transport plane.
Chief of Defence Staff Air Marshal Alex Badeh, Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen Kenneth Minimah and the National Security Adviser, retired Col. Sambo Dasuki had arrived earlier.
Governor Kashim Shettima received the president on arrival.
Throughout the visit that lasted three and a half hours, a military helicopter hovered above the route of the Presidential convoy.
The airport road was also taken over by soldiers, policemen, DSS operatives and other security agencies.
The President first visited the Maimalari Cantonment, headquarters of the 7 Division of the Nigerian Army on Baga road.
There, Jonathan addressed hundreds of soldiers and officers, saying he was in Borno State to felicitate with them on the occasion of the Armed Forces Remembrance Day.
He promised to improve on the welfare of soldiers and that of their families.
“The armed forces are now better equipped than what they were before. We will continue to provide you with latest equipment for better performance,” he said.
He urged them to remain focused in protecting the country and its people, assuring that everything necessary will be done to support them.
The president also visited the Army Hospital within the cantonment where he sympathised with soldiers injured at the battle front.
“We are with you and we would continue to support you. We would continue to give you the best treatment you deserve until you fully recover,” he said.
He commended the troops for their effort in curbing the Boko Haram insurgency which has so far claimed thousands of lives in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States.
The President went to the Teachers’ Village on Pompomari Road where thousands of internally displaced people (IDPs) from Gwoza, Bama, Baga, Dikwa and some local government areas are taking refuge.
Jonathan sympathised with them for the unfortunate events that forced them out of their homes adding, “I want to assure you that we are doing everything possible to make sure that you return to your homes.
“From the briefing I got from service chiefs, all the areas under the control of the Boko Haram would soon be liberated.”
He also called on the Borno State Government to work closely with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in providing all the basic needs of the IDPs.
He said it makes no difference whether support is being provided by the federal, state or local government, pointing out that the ultimate goal is to ensure that the displaced persons are taken care of very well.
Governor Kashim Shettima, who expressed gratitude to the president, said his coming had rekindled the hope of Borno people who have seen worst atrocities in recent times.
The visit to the IDP camps was not without unpleasant consequences. As the President made to leave shouts of “Bama so, Bama so”, meaning “we don’t want, we don’t want”and “Sai Buhari” rent the air, in support of the Presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari.
The President returned to the airport and his plane took off at 6.22pm.
At least 22 out of the 27 local government areas of Borno State are either under control of the Boko Haram or the insurgents have significant control over them while nearly two million people have been displaced and are taking refuge in Maiduguri.
Though some other details of the visit have been kept secret, sources said the trip was necessitated by the recent massacre in Baga town and surrounding villages on January 3, which has drawn extensive global condemnation.
About 2000 people were said to have been killed in Baga, but Defence Headquarters said only about 150 people were killed in the attack but satellite images released by the Amnesty International on Wednesday showed “large scale” destruction in the  fishing communities.
The president has now visited Maiduguri long after serious condemnation and outrage  in 2014 for failing to visit the state despite increasing attacks, occasioned by the abduction of 276 girls at Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok on April 14th.
There was no prior indication that the president would visit Maiduguri as security men remained visible around his office till about 6.45pm, perhaps to give the impression that he was in his office.
But presidential spokesman, Reuben Abati, later last night issued a statement to say that Jonathan undertook “a surprise visit to Maiduguri on the occasion of Nigeria’s Armed Forces Remembrance Day (yesterday) to meet with officers and men of the Armed Forces currently in the frontline of the war against terrorism and insurgency in the country”.
“We  know most of your (IDPs)  houses have been destroyed but immediately we take over the areas and secure them, we will create a camps within these communities and assist the returnees financially so that they will gradually move away from the camps. We have similar plan for people who are in neighboring countries including Cameroon, Niger and Chad.
“It is a sad thing to be talking about internally displaced person, nobody is happy that you are displaced within your own land. Of course we all know that the issue of terror is global but the excesses of Boko Haram are quite traumatic for all of us. And we know that my good friend, the governor of Borno state is not sleeping because when I was the governor I have some tough time too in the Niger Delta. The issue of militancy is not an easy job to manage.
“As a president I feel traumatized whenever I hear about these excesses, I feel very burdened. Let me reassure all of you and indeed the IDP’s that government is working very hard that you do not stay in these camps for too long,” the president reiterated.