Buhari asks Army to unite Nigeria, stop group restiveness

President Muhammadu Buhari is very excited that the Nigerian Army has been able to route out Boko Haram terrorists from Sambisa forest

- The president, while receiving the official flag of Boko Haram leader, Abu Shekau, asked the Army to help stop agitations in the east, Niger Delta and north-east

President Muhammadu Buhari has declared that he would no longer condone the violence and ‘political madness in the north-east, Niger Delta and the eastern parts of the country.

Buhari receiving Shekau's official flag from Buratai

“All these political madness in the North East, the Niger Delta or in the East should not be allowed to cause division or any form of tension in the country.

“There are 250 ethnic groups, so keeping Nigeria one is a task that must be done, even for your personal reason you must make sure this country remains united and stronger,” the president said after receiving the official flag of Abubakar Shekau, Boko Haram leader, from General Tukur Buratai, the Chief of Army Staff.

In the north-east, Nigeria is faced with the issues terrorism, in the east, it has agitators including the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB). In the Niger Delta, it is bedeviled by problems of militancy.

Buhari was hosted by the Nigerian Army to its Guards Brigade Regimental Dinner where he was presented with the flag recovered at Camp Zero in Sambisa forest, Borno state after its capture by the army.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) also that the Theatre Commander, Major-General Leo Irabor, had disclosed that ‎about 1,240 suspected Boko Haram terrorists were arrested during the operation by troops inside the Sambisa forest.

Buhari challenged the armed forces to continue to ensure the unity of the country reminding them that no part of Nigeria can hold it hostage.

He further noted that Nigeria has over 250 ethnic groups and must therefore be made a peaceful country for its citizens.

“We will do our best to build the national institutions in the country,” he said.

On his Facebook wall, the president also said: "Yesterday night I attended the Guards Brigade Regimental Dinner Night, at the Guards Brigade Scorpion Mess. Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen Tukur Buratai presented the Boko Haram flag, recovered from Camp Zero, Sambisa Forest, when the Nigerian Army captured it last week.

"I also had a chance to do something that has become an annual tradition - briefly direct the Guards Brigade Band.

"And then one very important moment - the opportunity to express gratitude, on behalf of the entire nation, to Major General Leo Irabor, Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, the military operation against Boko Haram.

"Our gallant troops made us proud in 2016, and I'm confident that 2017 will be full of even more heroic exploits."