Goodluck promises security will improve in North-East before elections.

President Goodluck Jonathan today indicated that with the measures being implemented by his administration, the security situation in the North-East would improve significantly ahead of the 2015 general elections.

There have been speculations in some quarters that elections may not hold in the affected part of the country due to the activities of Boko Haram.

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, was also quoted last week as saying that holding elections in the area would be determined by the security situation there at the time of the elections.

But Jonathan on Monday told the Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Uriel Palti, that the nation’s Armed Forces and other security agencies would sustain and intensify ongoing operations against the insurgents.

A statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, quoted the President as saying that such efforts by the security agencies were aimed at achieving significant improvement in the security situation of the areas ahead of the elections.

The statement read, “President Goodluck Jonathan said on Monday in Abuja that Nigeria’s Armed Forces and security agencies will sustain and intensify ongoing operations against insurgents in the country’s north-eastern states to achieve significantly improved security there ahead of the 2015 general elections.”

“Speaking to an audience with the Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Uriel Palti, President Jonathan said that Nigeria will also continue to work with neighbouring countries for the effective implementation of the regional security arrangements which were recently concluded to enhance multilateral cooperation against extremism, terrorism, insurgency and other cross-border crimes.”

“The President told the Israeli Ambassador that the Federal Government was actively and progressively enhancing the ability of Nigeria’s Armed Forces and security agencies to deal decisively with terrorists and insurgents.”

“The Israeli ambassador conveyed the condolences of the Israeli Prime Minister, Mr. Benjamin Netenyahu, to President Jonathan and the people of Nigeria on the loss of lives in recent terrorist attacks.

Source: Punch