The federal government has congratulated the troops of the Nigerian military for finally seizing the Sambisa Forest from the Boko Haram terrorists and securing the Northeast, paving the way for the re-opening of two strategic roads in Borno State.

Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, made this known in a statement on Monday, urging the general public to continue encouraging the troops as they clear the remnants of the terrorists.

He also called on Nigerians to remain vigilant as escaping terrorists are disguising as menial job seekers as a ploy to reintegrate into the public and cause more mayhem.

Mohammed said:“We urge Nigerians to keep our gallant and victorious troops in their prayers, and to also imbibe the mantra of ‘if you see something, say something’ as a way of ensuring that no escaped terrorist is able to wreak havoc in their communities.

“It is also important to know that now that they have been dispossessed of their fortress, the Boko Haram escapees will intensify their cowardly attacks on vulnerable targets if only to maintain an illusion of terror.

“But there should be no panic because the worst is over,” Mr Mohammed said.

The Minister commended the military for the re-opening of the Maiduguri-Gubio-Damasak road and the Maiduguri-Mungono-Baga road, which are major roads linking Nigeria to other neighbouring countries.

He also praised the Governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima, for his support for the military and his determination to quickly restore normalcy across the state.

The Minister said he had planned to lead local and international journalists to join the Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, the Service Chiefs and the Governor of Borno State, at the opening of the two strategic roads in Borno on Sunday.

“Unfortunately, due to bad weather, our flight to Maiduguri from Abuja was cancelled after several hours of waiting at the airport in Abuja,” he said.

“However, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, accompanied by the top brass of the military, re-opened the two arterial roads.

“This is very significant because the two major roads, which were closed due to the activities of the terrorists in the area, are of strategic importance to the economy of the Lake Chad Region.”

Mohammed noted that the President Muhammadu Buhari administration has provided the much-needed impetus for the military’s victory in the Northeast.

He urged Nigerians to continue to give their  support to the President in his “ efforts to restore peace and security across the country and also revamp the economy.”