Governor Babagana Zulum has called on President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime to improve the salary and welfare of the Nigerian military to boost their morale.

On Sunday, Mr Zulum made the call in Maiduguri at a feast to celebrate the Acting General Officer Commanding (GOC) 7 Division, Abdulwahab Eyitayo, promoted to a major general.

While commending military personnel for making sacrifices under harsh conditions and paying the supreme price to secure the nation, the Borno governor urged the federal government to reward them accordingly.

“Today, I am happy as the governor of Borno because we have achieved a lot. We are able to return people to Baga, Wulgo, Ngoshe, and many communities in the state,” Mr Zulum explained.

The governor reiterated the commitment of his administration to support the military to succeed in the fight against insurgency.

Mr Zulum described the relative peace recorded in the state as a welcome development, adding that it facilitated the resettlement of displaced persons in the liberated communities.

He also announced plans to re-open the commercially viable Maiduguri–Gamboru–Ngala road and Maiduguri–Damboa road in January to fast-track the normalisation of activities in the state.

“By the grace of God, we shall soon resettle people back to Malumfatori, headquarters of Abadam local government area. The only way we can fight insurgency is for us to continue to be resilient,” added the Borno governor.

In their separate remarks, Mr Eyitayo and Maj.-Gen. Christopher Musa, Operation Hadin Kai’s theatre commander, restated the commitment of the military to end insurgency in the country.

(NAN)