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Withdrawal of troops from volatile areas will be gradual —Buhari

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President Muhammadu Buhari said on Friday his government was not in a hurry to withdraw military personnel from hot spots across the country.

In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the President said the withdrawal of the military from areas where peace had been restored would be gradual in order not to expose the communities to more attacks.

President Buhari said the troops’ withdrawal would be carefully planned in order not to jeopardise the success already recorded by the military.

On concerns raised by governors and community leaders over the proposed withdrawal, Buhari said the “administration would not abandon citizens in need of protection.”

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He urged Nigerians, especially public affairs analysts, to carefully study the statement following a security council meeting with service chiefs that the withdrawal of troops will be done after an “assessment” to determine areas where peace had returned to enable civil authorities assume full control.

The president said where it was determined that the withdrawal would not in any way jeopardize peace already achieved, the military pullout would be undertaken in a careful and gradual way.

He said: “You don’t need to worry. We will not expose our people and their communities to harm or danger.

“The withdrawal is to allow the military to focus on its primary duty of defending the nation against external aggression. It is the duty of the police to handle internal security since Nigeria is not at war.

“Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps will support the police to provide internal security. When it is time to withdraw, nothing will be rushed.”

A service chief had said in December that the federal government would begin the gradual withdrawal of troops from some parts of the North East in the second quarter of this year.

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