When news filtered into the air, that 276 days after the abducted Chibok girls were taken into captivity by their captors and dreaded islamist group; Boko Haram, Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday paid a visit to Maiduguri, Borno State, one thing that struck my mind was that the president took the decision to embark on the journey as a result of the on-going politicking going on in the country.
Infact, one can conveniently say that aside the fact that the visit is too late for a comfort, it is an indirect way of President Jonathan trying to cury the vote of the people in the area in the forth coming 2015 presidential election.
Moreso, it would have thought that Jonathan, being the Commander-In-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, would have demanded that he be taken to the Sambisa Forest, where the girls are said to be held hostage.
Instead, President Jonathan decided to pay a surprise visit to the state shortly after laying a wreath at the National Arcade, Abuja apparently in commemoration of the Armed Forces Remembrance Day.
Interestingly, there has been calls on the president to visit the zone since April 14, 2014 when the over 200 schoolgirls were abducted in Chibok by the dreaded group.
The president, according to reports while at the Maimalari Cantonment, also known as the 7 Division of the Nigerian Army, thanked officers and men for what he termed their patriotic service to the nation.
Jonathan was also reported to have given an assurance, that Nigeria
would soon see the end of insurgency as the military were now better equipped to take them on.
In Jonathan's words, "Let me assure you that we will soon take over all the areas. From the briefing I have received from the service chiefs, I assure you that we will take over the towns and communities.
"In terms of equipment and logistics, we have already made considerable progress since the insurgency started and we will continue to improve in that regard until your operations are successfully concluded."
The president was also reported to have apart from embarking on a tour of wards of the 7 Division Hospital and Medical Services Centre where he met with soldiers recovering from injuries sustained in operations against Boko Haram, paid a visit to the
over 900 displaced persons from Baga at the Maiduguri camp apparently to sympathise with them over their losses when they were attacked by the insurgents.
"Terrorism and insurgency have been very traumatic for all of us. I feel particularly disturbed when I hear of our people being displaced within their own country.
"I assure you and other displaced persons that government is working very hard to ensure that you do not remain in these camps for too long.
"I know that many of your houses have been destroyed. We will assist you financially so that you can rebuild your homes and return to them gradually." Jonathan added."
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