Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has directed the country’s military service chiefs to make extra efforts to root out Boko Haram militants in the nation’s northeast.


The presidential directive came on Wednesday as Jonathan decorated the military chiefs with their new ranks, underlining the urgency of bringing the anti-terror war to a quick end and vowing that "none of us will sleep till Nigerians in Borno State can sleep."

"We will be having very fine talks from time to time, but definitely Nigerians will tell you what they expect from us; we must not fail this country and I believe this team will work together to be assisted by other intelligence services because the war against terror must be won in this country," Jonathan said.

The service chiefs and their new ranks are Chief of Defense Staff Air Chief Marshal Alex Sabundu Badeh, Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant-General Kenneth Tobia Minimah, Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin, and Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Adesola Nunayon Amosu.

Their decoration ceremony and the presidential directive came shortly after former Head of State Major General Muhammadu Buhari expressed concern about allegations of rape and extortion against Niegerian troops deployed to battle the Boko Haram militants.

He congratulated the service chiefs and their wives, noting that he had worked with some of them in one way or the other, and convinced that the right team to rescue the country at this time was selected.

He further urged the service chiefs not to disappoint Nigerians.

Responding on behalf of others, Badeh thanked Jonathan for their appointment and promised that they would carry out their duties effectively.

Badeh added that the military would continue to work hard in defending the nation's territorial integrity, as well as ensuring security and peace in the country.

"Security challenges are inimical to development because security means development and without development there can also not be security. When a nation's military is at war, the whole nation is at war, therefore every Nigerian must sacrifice," said the top military officer