The war against terrorism is gradually coming to an end. Within the last one year, Nigerian troops have scored several vctories against Boko Haram. Recently, Nigerian soldiers and the Multi-national Joint Task Forces recorded a huge success in dislodging the terrorists from some of their notorious hideouts like the Sambisa forest and the Mandara Mountains along Nigeria/Cameroon border; a large cache of arms was seized and several notorious Boko Haram commanders were arrested.

Although the whereabouts of their leader Abubakar Shekau is still unknown, there are indications that he is either dead or out of action.

From the very first day President Muhammadu Buhari came into power, he signified his intention to bring the war on terror to a speedy end. On his inauguration day he ordered the Nigerian military to move their operational headquarters to Maiduguri which is the heart of the insurgency.

He made sweeping changes within the military; including the appointment of a no-nonsense chief of army staff and military commanders. He ensured that troops were well-armed and all ordinance required in the cause of the war were released to the fighters. Morale became very high and the spirit of the soldiers was raised to its former level, when the Nigerian troops were considered as one of the best fighting forces in Africa.

Within that period, all the grounds taken by Boko Haram were liberated and now normalcy is gradually coming back to the North-East. Although more than two million people have been displaced and goods and property worth billions of naira have been destroyed; resettlement is on course but it will take some time before full normalcy is restored.

We salute the gallant effort of our troops and the exemplary leaderships of the now battle-hardened Generals, especially the chief of army staff, Lt-General Yusuf Buratai who has on several occasions joined his troops on the warfront. The role of the President and commander-in-chief stands out as a shining example of what real leadership is all about.

One of his campaign pledges was that he will bring the war on terrorism to an end and restore normalcy in Nigeria especially in the North East which was ravaged by Boko Haram within one year. He is on course to achieving this feat. That alone has set him far apart from his predecessors who were clueless, conniving or incompetent on how to prosecute the war against the insurgent group which within four years unleashed a reign of terror never before witnessed in Africa.

Al-Shabab’s atrocities in Somalia pale in comparison to the horrors that were perpetrated by Boko Haram. We commend the effort of the President and Commander-in-Chief and we want to place it on record that he is on course to fulfilling one of his cardinal campaign promises after barely one year in office.

It behoves on all arms of government and Nigerians in general to support the efforts towards a peaceful conclusion of the war against terrorism.