TheCable

Mansur Dan-Ali, minister of defence, says the report from the north-east is worrisome but the federal government has taken action on it.

The minister said this following the reported killing of over 60 people in Malari, a village in Borno state, on Sunday.

Boko Haram fighters were said to have arrived in trucks firing guns and rocket-propelled grenades.

Speaking with journalists after a security meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari and security chiefs on Monday, Dan-Ali said the security situation in Zamfara and Benue states have improved.

“The decision that has been taken is that we have seen that there is a lot of improvement in the security situation in the country more especially in Zamfara and Benue states and in the Niger Delta,” the minister said.

“In the north-east we are having worrisome report, we have looked into it critically and we have taken absolute decision.”

On his part, Gabriel Olonisakin, chief of defence staff, said Buhari asked them to ensure that Nigerians are safe.

Olonisakin said they also reviewed the security situation across the country.

“We just had two and half hours meeting with the President and commander-in-chief. We reviewed the security situation across the country in all the geopolitical zones and of course we made all our comments, especially the new operations in Benue, Zamfara, Taraba Operation Whirl Stroke and Operation Saradaji,” he said.

“We gave the extent of successes in these operations and we are to continue in this line of action in these operations. All the operations were reviewed and all the issues concerning the operations were dealt with.

“And he directed that we should continue to step up our game to ensure that the nation is safe and people go about their daily activities in a very safe manner.”

Ibrahim Idris, inspector-general of police (IGP); and Abba Kyari, chief of staff to the president, were among those present at the meeting.