Jonathan urges military to end insurgency

President Goodluck Jonathan on Saturday in Kaduna charged newly commissioned military officers to work towards rooting out the insurgency in the North-Eastern part of the country.



The President, while speaking at the passing out parade of the combined 61 Regular Course and the 42 Direct Short Service Course of the Nigerian Defence Academy in Kaduna on assured the military, both serving and retired, that improvement of their welfare remained paramount to his administration.

He said the Federal Government would come up with a programme to honour fallen military personnel.

The President gave the assurance just as a former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, predicted that the Boko Haram insurgency would come to an end soon.

Gowon, who spoke to journalists shortly after the passing out parade, expressed the hope that Nigeria would soon overcome the insurgency.

While addressing graduating military cadets, President Jonathan stated the Federal Government’s commitment to improving the welfare of serving and retired military officers who laid down their lives for the security of the nation.

He urged them to be loyal to constituted authority, warning that the government would not tolerate any act of indiscipline from them.

“As you are about to be commissioned into the Nigerian Armed Forces today, let me remind you that, your loyalty to the nation must never be in doubt. Your loyalty to the nation must be 100 per cent. You must reflect the values of loyalty, love and commitment impacted on you here throughout the period of your career,” he said.

A total of 114 cadets of 61 Regular Course comprising the Army, Navy and Airforce and another 213 Short Service Army Cadets of Course 42 were commissioned as officers. Out of them, 20 are from Liberia and Central African Republic.