Nigeria's Winning War Against Boko Haram, Says Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari Friday declared that Nigeria was making progressive in the war against the terrorists group. This was In spite of the recent killing of 148 people in villages of Borno State by the Boko Haram insurgents.

Speaking at the graduation of officers of Senior Course 37 of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC), Jaji, Kaduna State, Buhari who was represented by the Vice President,  Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, said Nigeria and multinational forces of neighbouring countries were progressively winning the fight against Boko Haram.

The President expressed confidence in the quality of training received by officers in the institution which had adequately prepared the military to confront the current threats to national and global security.

He however, urged the officers to be mindful of the distracting and diversionary nature of today's highly sensitive media environment.

"Some of you will be deployed to crisis-prone areas for either internal security or peace support operations outside your country; given that we live in a common global environment, you must be conscious of your actions" he said.

He added that Nigeria remained firmly committed to the maintenance of international peace and security, stressing that the country would continue to collaborate with other governments to promote peace, stability and development on the African continent and around the world.

Buhari charged the military to live up to expectations at all times and to uphold the nation's enduring legacy in global peacekeeping operations.

"As members of the armed forces, you have a principal role to play in protecting the lives and property of our citizens.

"While maintaining internal peace and security remains primarily the responsibility of the civil police, the scale of the current security challenges facing our nation requires the military to play a more decisive role in support of civil power.

"Always remember that ethnicity and religious intolerance are the greatest threats to our collective security as a people and as a nation. I urge you all to guard against these negative sentiments in the discharge of your noble duties," he said.

In his address at the occasion, the Commandant of the College, Air Vice Marshall John Chris Ifemeje said the course assembled on 30th June, 2014, made up of 174 students comprising 70 Nigerian Army officers, 43 Nigerian Navy officers, 31 Nigerian Air Force officers and 9 civilians from the Defence Intelligence Agency, DSS, Ministry of Defence, Nigerian Prison Service, Nigerian Immigration Service, the National Youth Service Corps( NYSC) and the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC).