The programme, which involved interventions in education, health, women empowerment among others, is being funded by US Agency for International Development (USAID) and British Government.

Announcing the rounding up at closing ceremony on Wednesday in Maiduguri, Girard said that within the past six years, NERI carried out 254 activities in Borno alone.

“USAID has asked us to close down our programme in the Northeast. This was not an easy decision on their part.

“They have asked us to shift the focus of our intervention. We will soon be undertaking new programming in Nigeria’s Middle Belt in response to conflict and violence against civilian populations.

“The good news is that USAID will be launching a new programme in the coming months entitled- Building Community Resilience to Violent Extremism and Conflict in Northeast Nigeria.

“This programme will continue to work with communities to strengthen social cohesion and push back against the influence of insurgents,” Girard said.

He lauded the support and cooperation given to NERI by government at all levels including security agencies.

“We have worked closely with the Nigerian Army to improve safety and security of communities in northeast.

“We have been busy digging trenches around Damasak, Gubio, Monguno, Dikwa, Kekeno, Bama, Pulka and other locations like Maiduguri International Airport.

“We put up concertina wire fences, we installed streetlights to make it harder for insurgents to infiltrate and attack towns. And also to improve the morale of the population,” Girard said.

He also explained that NERI had supported medical outreach activities and widows with training and tools.

According to him, NERI last year received 1.5 million pounds from British Government to support the Nigerian Police with infrastructure rehabilitation and equipment.

He explained that the fund was used to rehabilitate the police quarters in Monguno, Bama and the State Command headquarters in Maiduguri.

“These investments were made because both the British and American governments believe that the Nigerian Police Force can and should have the material support it needs to improve the security of citizens in Borno,” Girard said.

Other interventions listed by Gerard include the restoration of GSM services in some local government areas, buildings the capacity of community based civil society organisations, media organisations and the setting up of community radio stations in Biu, Damasak and Monguno towns.

In his remarks, Gov. Babagana Zulum represented by the Commissioner of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Zuwaira Gambo, lauded the intervention of NERI in various sectors particularly education and women empowerment.

Zulum urged NERI to stay for a while pointing out that it was exiting at a critical time when the state was relocating Internally displaced persons back to their ancestral land.

Representatives of various organisations, who spoke including army, police and civil society organisations, also lauded NERI for it interventions which they said touches many people and organisations in the state.

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The President made the call when he paid a condolence visit to the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar El-Kanemi, on Wednesday in Maiduguri.

It was reported that the president is in Borno to sympathise with government and people of the state over the Boko Haram insurgents’ attack which claimed many lives at Auno in Konduga Local Government Area.

The insurgents had, on Sunday, attacked Auno community, killing dozens of stranded passengers, destroyed houses, vehicles and properties worth millions of Naira.

Buhari noted that the fight against insurgency could not be executed without good intelligence and support of the people.

“Boko Haram, or whatever they are, cannot come up to Maiduguri or its environs without the local leadership knowing; traditionally, the local leadership is in charge of security in their own respective areas.

“With my understanding of our culture, I wonder how Boko Haram survives up to this end.

“As the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, I campaigned in 2015 and last year on three fundamental issues which include security – you cannot preside over an institution or a country if it is not secured.

“This is just common sense, everybody knows this, even those that have not gone to school knows this.

“On the issue of economy, the Nigerian youths are over 60 per cent of our population with many of them below 30-years. We have to remind them that they must help us to stabilise the country so that they can have a better future.

“If they do not cooperate with government; they are endangering their future; I am already 77 now, how many years do I expect under a normal circumstances?”

Buhari reiterated his commitment to work with the security agencies to enhance security, protect lives and property in the country.

“We are working for you in this country; as Commander-in-Chief, I am dealing with the security institutions and I believe there is improvement in security.

“I urge the people of the state to cooperate with the law enforcement agencies; let us deny Boko Haram access to our loyal citizens and encourage displaced people to go back to their land,” he said.

The President noted that his visit to the state was to sympathise and show his respect to the governor and the people of the state.

Speaking on the economy of the nation, Buhari said that government had saved millions of dollars through agriculture which enhances livelihood of farmers and food security, and also improved the social and economic state of the people.

Buhari said that the Federal Government had adopted proactive measures to check smuggling through the land borders in the country.

According to him, government has created an enabling environment for educated Nigerians to venture into legitimate and sustainable agriculture to enable them become self-reliant and employers of labour.

The President, however, commended Gov. Babagana Zulum for providing quality leadership in the state.

Also speaking, Zulum called on the military to take the fight to the insurgents in the fringes of the Sambisa Forest, Lake Chad Basin and other identified hideouts of the terrorists.

Zulum urged the military authorities to foster greater unity between them and the civil authorities with a view to closing the existing discrepancies in their relations.

“We also call on the Federal Government and the military to open opportunities for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), in host communities to have access to their farmlands, livestock and fishing areas so as to upgrade their livelihood.

“I equally implore all the citizens of Borno to be patient, law abiding and not to forget the past.

“This is very important; I call on all of you to pray, may Allah bless our leaders, bless our state and Nigeria as a whole,” Zulum said.

On his part, Elkanemi commended the president on the sympathy visit and pledged support of the traditional institutions to end insurgency.

It was reported that the president was accompanied by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno, Mrs Sardiya Farouq, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, among other officials.

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Maj-Gen. Olusegun Adeniyi, the incoming Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, stated this at the burial of five fallen heroes, at the Nigerian Army Cemetery, Maimalari Cantonment, Maiduguri.

Adeniyi said that the military would not rest until it ensured total defeat of the insurgency and restoration of peace to the war tone region.

He described the fallen heroes as “gallant, courageous and brave soldiers”, who sacrificed their lives in the defence of the country.

“On behalf of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, I wish to commiserate with the families of the fallen heroes.

“What happened is sad, but I want their families to know that they did not die in vain; they die for Nigeria, they die for their fatherland.

“You can be proud; they were good citizens, brave, honourable good men. They did not beg or run away from the enemy, they fought gallantly to the end.

“Nigerian Army is proud of them and I want you to know that one of your love ones paid the supreme price for nation building. We thank God for their lives and we celebrate them.

“I promised you; we will not sleep, rest or give Boko Haram insurgents any respite, we will return normalcy to the North-East,” Adeniyi said.

He added that the army had put in place effective welfare scheme to take care of the families and children of the fallen heroes.

He advised the Next of Kin (NoK) of the deceased soldiers to contact him or Commanders of the Sector 2 and 29 Brigade, under which the slain soldiers served, if they experience difficulties or misunderstanding regarding their welfare.

Adeniyi listed the fallen heroes to include Col. Kenneth Elemele, Lance Corporals Ajijola Sunday, Oguntuase Ayo, Dimos Danial and Private Akinola Ayoola.

The commander prayed for the repose of their souls and the families’ fortitude to bear the loss.

It was reported that the fallen heroes were laid to rest in accordance with the Christian religious rites and military etiquette.

It was also reported that each of the families of the fallen heroes was presented with the National Flag at the end of the exercise.

The event was attended by Maj.-Gen. Bulama Biu, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 7 Division, and other military officers in the theatre of operation.

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Buhari stated this at the Graduation Ceremony of the National Defence College Course 27, on Friday in Abuja.

He said that in spite of the commendable progress made by the armed forces in combating terrorism and insurgency, the nation was still beset with some existential and fundamental challenges.

According to him, the Boko Haram for instance, having lost their insurgency campaign, now factionalised and mutated into a new form of terrorist threat.

“Armed banditry and vandalism, kidnapping, pastoralist/farmers conflicts, cultism and political violence have become the new threats.

“Other crimes such as proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons, drug trafficking, drug and substance abuse and communal conflict, all add up to the security mix.

“Furthermore, the state of education, the youth bulge, unemployment, socio-political and ethno-religious divisions, fake news and hate speeches all help to quicken and compound the security challenges.

“Our government is poised to promote national security and development; we remain committed to promoting a vision of a secure, safe, just, peaceful, prosperous and strong nation.

“Indeed, we shall be employing all elements of our national and human resources to ensure security, a just society, peaceful co-existence, national unity, prosperity and sustainable development, while promoting our good standing abroad,’’ he said.

The president said that at inception of his administration in 2015 the nation was at a critical crossroads adding that the Boko Haram insurgency was at the height of its infamy and virtually held Nigeria hostage.

He added that the situation constituted a clear and present danger to the corporate existence of Nigeria as a nation.

Buhari said that a lot progress had been made in tackling the security challenges, with the combined efforts of Nigeria’s regional coalition partners, the military and other security agencies.

He commended the college for keeping to its mandate and the efforts to re-organise and rebrand the centre to enable it to conduct research on contemporary issues of security and development.

He also pledged his commitment to continuous support for the centre in order to make it a regional hub of strategic defence policy study.

The president, however, tasked the participants of the Course 27 to see themselves as sufficiently groomed, in both character and learning, to take up the national challenges.

According to him, it is a clarion call to duty in service to their country.

“In the coming years, all of you Nigerians and allied graduands will be called to account for the period of strategic training in the College and you must not fail your nations,’’ he said.

Earlier, the Commandant, NDC, Rear Adm. Mackson Kadiri, said that the higher defence strategic studies programme of the college had gained international acceptance as a valid strategic professional military training education in Africa and beyond.

Kadiri disclosed that 127 participants drawn from Nigerian military, the police, relevant ministries, departments and agencies of government as well as military officers from allied countries graduated from the course.

He explained that the number was made up of 94 officers of the rank of colonel, brigadier general of army and equivalent from the sister security services and three commissioners of police.

Others according to him, are13 civilians from strategic departments of ministries and agencies of government and 17 participants from ally countries across Africa, Asia and the Americas.

“Due to the effort of the defence headquarters under the able leadership of Chief of Defence Staff, the foreign participation in the NDC Course 27 is the largest ever since inception of the college.

“This indicates the rising international profile of the College.

“In terms of infrastructure, the college has increased the pace of construction work at the college’s permanent site to ensure its completion in order to admit our participants to a functional and conducive environment.

“I wish to cease this opportunity to express our profound appreciation to the president for his sustained resource support for infrastructural development of the college.

“In the outgoing academic year, the college made great stride in terms of strategic engagement to contribute to national and regional security and to improve the overall capacity going forward,’’ he said.

A foreign participant, Group Capt. Maluk Singh from the Indian Air Force, told our reporter that the programme was impactful to him.

Singh promised to make use of the knowledge acquired to contribute to the national security and defence policy of his home country.

He disclosed that just like Nigeria, India had pockets of security challenges as a large country, adding that the Indian military had been able to bring some of them under control.

“It has been a very useful course for me because the course was so detailed and has given me the skill for a higher strategic position in the military and government.

“`I have learnt a lot of things here in Nigeria’s National Defence College that will help me proffer solutions to problems.

“We do have some security situation in our country but not on a large scale.

“Just like Boko Haram here, we have some problems in Kashmir state, in the central India as well as insurgency problem in North-East Indian States but we have been able to tackle them to a large extent,’’ he said.

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