The minister of Defence, Mansur Dan Ali announced on Thursday said that territories liberated from Boko Haram insurgents will now be held by men of the Nigerian Police and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC.

The minister made the disclosure in his office in Abuja when the management of Centre for Crisis Communication, CCC, paid him a visit.

Ali said that the troops cannot be expected to engage in mop up operations across the North east and also be saddled with the responsibility of maintaining law and order in liberated territories.

“As we fight and clear out the terrorists in the different communities and towns in the North-East, we expect the Nigeria Police and the Civil Defence to hold ground in the freed areas. This will enable the troops to concentrate in advancing into more areas of operation without being distracted by the responsibility of maintaining law and order in the liberated areas,” the minister stated.

Ali, who commended the CCC for coordinating and providing security and emergency crisis information to the public assured that the ministry would partner with the Centre in creating awareness on importance of the civil-military engagement in fighting insurgency and crime generally in the country.

He expressed concern over the increasing incidence of clashes between Fulani herdsmen and farmers and kidnapping in some parts of the country and gave assurance that the government would continue to engage community leaders and traditional rulers to find common ground and lasting solutions to incessant crises.

Ali also called upon members of the public, particularly non-governmental organizations, to assist Nigerians who have been displaced from their homes and those who are returning to the liberated towns and villages.

Speaking earlier, the Executive Secretary of the Centre, Yusuf Anas, a retired  Air Commodore, expressed appreciation for the minister’s pragmatic approach in addressing the insurgency in the North East and other crimes other parts of the country.