Federal troops confronting Boko Haram insurgents in the North east received a surprise August visitor on Thursday as President Goodluck Jonathan visited Mubi in Adamawa State, one of the towns recently recaptured from the insurgents.

Accompanied by the Inspector General of Police and all security chiefs, the President arrived the Yola International Airport at about 10:45 a.m, after which he met with the Emir of Mubi, Isa Ahmadu with whom he had a private meeting at the palace.

The president who addressed Nigerian troops in Mubi expressed his appreciation to the troops, stating that he and all Nigerians were very proud of the bravery, competence and patriotism with which they were expelling the insurgents from all parts of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.

The president also affirmed that the recent successes recorded have proven beyond any doubt that the Nigerian armed forces were fully capable of defending the territorial integrity of Nigeria.

Noting that all those within and outside the country who cast aspersions on Nigerian soldiers and questioned their ability and willingness to overcome the insurgents were misinformed and wrong, President Jonathan stated that it was inaccurate to give all credit to foreign troops who had cooperated with the Nigerian military to institute a Multi-national Joint Task Force to combat insurgency.

The president also assured the troops that the federal government would ensure that the troops receive all the equipment and logistics required to reassert government’s effective control over all areas formerly captured by Boko Haram.

Promising that all issues pertaining to their welfare would be properly and expeditiously addressed, he also assured the troops that they will be duly rewarded for their bravery and patriotic service to the nation at the successful conclusion of on-going operations against Boko Haram.

The President also assured families of soldiers who lost their lives in battles against Boko Haram that they will be well provided for.

Jonathan, who also visited Vintim Village, the home town of the Chief of Defence Staff, which had earlier been recovered from the insurgents, is expected to proceed to Borno State on Friday, where he would visit Baga, another town recently recovered from the Boko Haram group.

The activities of the insurgent Islamic sect have earned President Jonathan’s administration a lot of criticism, as the federal government has been largely perceived as failing to stem the tide of violence unleashed by Boko Haram since 2010.

However, in the build up to the re-scheduled elections in March and April, government appears to have ramped up military campaigns against the incursions of the insurgents, and had recovered territories from Boko Haram.

In a bid to boost the morale of the troops in the forefront of the fight against the insurgents, the Chief of Army Staff Kenneth Minimah had visited the troops in Baga on Wednesday.

While addressing the troops, Minimah, a Brigadier General, announced the award of promotions to all soldiers involved in the liberation of the town from the control of the insurgents