Buhari visits troops in Yola, honours soldiers with medals for gallantry

President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday in Yola, Adamawa State, honoured three soldiers who sustained serious injuries in ongoing operations against Boko Haram with the Purple Heart medal for gallantry.
A statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, said Buhari honoured the affected soldiers during a morale-boosting visit to the Nigerian military in Adamawa.
At the conferment ceremony, the President said the honour was in appreciation of their heroic contributions to the ongoing effort by the Nigerian Armed Forces to end the Boko Haram insurgency.
“These very (much) deserved medals are in recognition of your sacrifices. I hope it will inspire you to give more to the nation and I urge you to maintain your determination to bring peace to our fatherland.
“With what I have seen today, I believe that the Boko Haram are very close to defeat and I urge you to quickly clear the remnants of these criminals from wherever they may still be hiding.
“I also urge you to remain vigilant, alert and focused to prevent Boko Haram from sneaking into our communities to attack soft targets’’, the statement quoted the President as saying.
According to the statement, those decorated with the Purple Heart Medal are Lance Cpl. Kenneth Kulugh who was wounded in a battle with Boko Haram at Magar Bridge, near Madagali.
Others are Pte Anthony Sunday, who was wounded in a battle with Boko Haram at Gubla in Adamawa; and Pte Danga Umar, who sustained multiple gunshot injuries to both thighs at Magar Bridge, near Madagali.
Accompanied by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, the President also presented Operation Lafiya Dole medals to four other soldiers.
“He also presented the Operation Lafiya Dole’s medals to men and officers of the Nigerian Armed Forces, who had served gallantly in theatre of operations in the North-East beyond six months.
Commending the armed forces for successes so far recorded in the ongoing fight against the insurgents, Buhari urged them to remain focused on the objective of completely defeating Boko Haram before the end of the year.
He assured them that the welfare of troops in the frontline states would continue to be improved by his administration.
Buhari urged the army to continue to operate within its rules of engagement and with due regard for human rights and its responsibility to protect civilians in areas of conflict.
The President also visited the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in Malkohio, Jimeta, Yola, where he assured the IDPs that the Federal Government was doing everything possible to ensure the safe return of all displaced Nigerians to their communities.
The President also paid a courtesy visit to Lamido Adamawa, Dr Muhamamdu Barkindo Mustapha, and rounded-off his visit to Adamawa by attending the wedding Fatiha of three daughters of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
It said the president also attended the Jumat Prayer at the Airforce Mosque in Jibson Jalo Army Barracks, Jimeta, Yola.
The statement said Buhari was accompanied on the trip to Adamawa State by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Chief Bisi Akande, Senator Ahmed Lawan and Senator Kabir Marafa.