We have achieved about 80% success on insecurity – Magashi

Outgoing Minister of Defence, Major General Barshi Magashi (rtd) has said that they've recorded over 80 per cent success in decimating Boko Haram/ISWAP insurgency, banditry and other criminality including bringing about normalcy in the fight against oil theft. 

 Speaking at a valedictory dinner in his honour, organized by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Dr. Ibrahim Abubakar Kana, Magashi said the armed forces were able to achieve this in four years while he was in office.

 He said; “Whether anybody likes it or not, the Armed forces have done the best that is possible to keep this country in the security situation we find ourselves. 

 “There is nothing that we have not done to keep this country together. In this period we achieved about 70 to 80 per cent success and we will continue to do the same. “I think the President has given us all the tools necessary to enable us perform our duties credibly”. 

 On the working relationship with the Chief of Defence Staff and the service chiefs, he said; “I have come to understand that everything we do requires teamwork and when I joined the ministry, I found that there are lot of things that we were required to do. 

 “We needed synergy among the members of the armed forces and the ministry. I am proud to see that this has continued. I hope it will continue forever. “You must continue to be soldiers and I am happy that we are doing what we ought to do for this country. 

We should give credit to the outgoing Commander-in-Chief, President Muhammadu Buhari for realising that there is need for synergy among the armed forces and other security agencies."