Abuja— Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar 111 and Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State, yesterday, declared that the era of insecurity caused by the spate of bombings and shootings by the Boko Haram sect in Borno State is over.
Both spoke just as the army authorities have stopped the pension of an ex-soldier, Habibu Bama, who was declared wanted by the State Security Service, SSS, over the Christmas day bombing of St. Theresa's Catholic Church, Madalla, Niger State that claimed more than 40 lives.
Sultan assures of end of security challenges
The Sultan, who spoke when the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Onyeabo Azubike Ihejirika paid him courtesy visit in his palace assured that the current security challenges facing the country will soon be over with the concerted efforts by all stakeholders to tame insecurity.

Terror attacks 'll end soon – Sultan, Borno Gov
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February 17, 2012
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By KINGSLEY OMONOBI & Abdallah el-Kurebe with agency reports
Abuja— Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar 111 and Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State, yesterday, declared that the era of insecurity caused by the spate of bombings and shootings by the Boko Haram sect in Borno State is over.
Both spoke just as the army authorities have stopped the pension of an ex-soldier, Habibu Bama, who was declared wanted by the State Security Service, SSS, over the Christmas day bombing of St. Theresa's Catholic Church, Madalla, Niger State that claimed more than 40 lives.
Sultan assures of end of security challenges
The Sultan, who spoke when the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Onyeabo Azubike Ihejirika paid him courtesy visit in his palace assured that the current security challenges facing the country will soon be over with the concerted efforts by all stakeholders to tame insecurity.

Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar 111 and Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the Sultan said: "We will not rest until all security challenges in this country are put behind us. These challenges will soon be a thing of the past and Nigeria will be the better country it used to be."
Assuring the support of the Sultanate, he added that Nigerians have to put their heads together in order to face the prevalent challenges in the country. "We have to put heads together in order to face the challenges we have. On our part, we assure you of our continued support for peace and stability in Nigeria," the Sultan said.
He expressed the need for all Military formations to be secured in view of their porous nature.
Earlier, the Chief of Army Staff said that he was in Sokoto to inspect formations and units as well as have interactive sessions with officers and men of the Nigerian Army. Ihejirika also reiterated Army's continued loyalty to the Constitution of Nigeria.
On his part, Governor Shettima who acknowledged the security challenges in the state, however boasted that the worst was over as operatives of the State Security Service (SSS) were clamping down on the sect.
Speaking when he visited the Minister of Youth Development, Bolaji Abdulahi, in his office, to discuss NYSC's directive stopping the posting of corps members to states considered volatile Governor Shettima said. "We are passing through some security challenges in the North-East of the country, due to the insurgency that is currently going on – I am talking about the Boko haram. I want to assure the minister that the worst is over; it was a temporary eclipse; we will start rising again.
"We survived the criminal occupation of Borno for seven years, seven months and seven days in the late 1890s; I believe this time around the worst is over.
"Not a single corps member was hit in Borno throughout the crisis, but as for parents I understand their affection about posting their ward to the north east and Borno, Yobe in particular.
"But I want to assure the minister that we are on top of the situation. The government is equal to the task, we are all Nigerians and we will leave no stone unturned to safeguard the lives and properties of all of them."
Shettima, who said that Boko Haram was borne out of endemic poverty and hunger, called on government to engage the sect in dialogue to understand their grievances.
He allayed the fears of most parents whose wards have been posted to his state, promising that the government would safeguard their lives and property.
Responding, Abdullahi expressed the hope that the state government would provide adequate and sustained security for the corps members that would be posted to the state.
The minister said that the recent breakthrough made by SSS operatives in relations to Boko Haram, might encourage NYSC to review its decision for corps members to steer clear of troubled states.
"We are glad to note that the situation is getting better by the day; we know the progress that the security agencies have made in the last couple of days and weeks to bring this situation under control.
"And as you know government is very dynamic, government policies and decisions will continue to respond to situations as they progress.
"It is in this light that I can assure your excellency that we will continue to revise our positions, in light of the most current challenges and the most current situations that we have.
"The National Youth Service Corps is principally created to promote national integration; it's a vehicle for national integration after the civil war as a way of healing the wounds of the war.
"Thirty eight years after, the NYSC is still very valid; it's still one of the most potent vehicles for national integration."
Abdullahi said the objective of the insurgents was to create fear and disunity among Nigerians.
Army authorities stop wanted soldier's pension
Meanwhile, indications emerged yesterday that following the SSS declaration of an ex-soldier, Habibu Bama, wanted in connection with the Christmas Day Bombing of a Church last year, authorities of the Nigeria Army may have ordered that further payment of his pension benefits be put on hold pending investigation.
Vanguard was informed that the wanted ex-soldier, Habibu Bama, who is also known as Shuaibu Bama collects his pension benefits through a bank which is the procedure for pensioners but that since he has been declared wanted in connection with Boko Haram, he would have to face investigation before any such benefit can be extended to him.
Security source told Vanguard that "the fact that an ex-soldier was declared wanted in connection with the dastardly act of bombing a church and killing about 47 people is of great embarrassment to the military authorities but we have to wait and see the outcome of the investigation if he is arrested by the SSS hence the immediate action the army can take was to order the stoppage of his pensions".
It was also gathered that the Army authorities on their own, have commenced investigations to ascertain how Bama who allegedly bears three names including Habib Mamman, left the Army; and whether he retired voluntarily or was compulsory retired.
In addition, the authorities will investigate and verify the actual name he bore while he was in the Army and the year he retired and how many years he served.
The Army authorities are also worried about the consequences of such a military personnel who knows much about the system, could be involved in the nefarious activities of the Boko Haram sect.
It will be recalled that Department of State Security (SSS), on Wednesday declared Habibu Bama wanted as he was believed to be the prime suspect in the Christmas Day bombing of a church in Madalla , Niger State, in which 47 worshippers at St. Theresa's Catholic Church were killed.
SSS said that Bama was deeply linked to the bombing, following the confession of the re-arrested Boko Haram suspect, Kabiru Dikko Umar alias Kabiru Sokoto, who is being interrogated by the State Security Service (SSS).
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