Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno and some stakeholders in North East have commended the outgoing President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration for degrading insurgents and improving the security situation in the region.

Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno, the epicentre of the insurgency who spoke on the gradual return of peace and normalcy in the state while presenting this year’s budget, said more people were gaining access to farms in affected areas of the state.

Mr Zulum lauded the Buhari administration for its commitment to peace in North East, particularly Borno, which was given special attention through kinetic and non-kinetic approaches that led to the ongoing mass surrender of insurgents.

“As a result of improvement in the security situation, our citizens gained more access to their farmlands this year and are now harvesting their crops without let or hindrance by the insurgents.

“Government on its part, in collaboration with international partners, had made available all the needs of our farmers which consequently attributed to a bumper harvest,” Mr Zulum said.

A cross-section of the stakeholders who spoke to journalists in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states known as the worst affected states by the insurgency, said the administration deserved commendation in the area of security.

They commended the military and other security agencies for doing a good job in actualising the dream of the people and urged the incoming administration at all levels to sustain the tempo for total peace and normalcy.

“As a driver moving following roads in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Gombe and Bauchi, things have improved for the better.

“No more incidents of attacks and abduction on highway by insurgents and there is a drastic reduction of security checkpoints as things continue to improve,” Samaila Ibrahim, a commercial bus driver, said.

In Adamawa, Dr Mahdi Abba, a security expert with the Department of General Studies, Modibbo Adama University, Yola, who commended the improved security situation in North East, said Buhari’s administration was leaving the zone better than it met it in 2015.

“Certainly, we give President Muhammadu Buhari some credit on security issues, especially in the North East.

“Before the advent of his government, the situation was dicey, dangerous and apprehensive.

“Those of us in North East can remember how Boko Haram paralysed everything, including agriculture, commerce and other productive ventures in many LGAs before the Buhari administration came and changed the narrative with improved security and return of normal activities,” Abba said.

In Yobe, the spokesman of the Police Command, DSP Dungus Abdulkarim, attributed the successes to support from the administration to security agencies and the improved synergy in their operations.

Mr Abdulkarim said that joint operations and intelligence sharing amongst sister agencies helped in degrading the insurgents while weakening their remnants.

He also lauded the support of the public in providing credible information to security agencies and called for its sustenance.

Dr Lawan Cheri, an expert in peace studies and conflict management who also expressed satisfaction with Buhari’s administration for improved security in North East, said it was obvious that security agencies were equipped by the administration.

“I give credit to Mr President for his enormous support to the military and other security services to prosecute the war,” Cheri said.

Mr Cheri, a senior lecturer at the Federal Polytechnic, Damaturu, urged the incoming administration of President-elect, Bola Tinubu, to sustain the tempo in the northeast and other regions experiencing insecurity.

(NAN)