The Nigeria Army has reiterated its commitment to stamp out terrorists and terrorism act in the country.

This assurance was given by the Chief of Defense Staff, Vice Admiral Ola Ibrahim, during an interactive session to foster civil/military relations in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

The parley had in attendance elders, youths, women, traditional and religious leaders and other stakeholders.

Addressing the gathering, the CDS who was represented by the Deputy Director Civil Military Relations, Air Commodore Onitiju, stressed that the military will repel any attempt by unscrupulous elements to turn the country into a war zone.

Onitiju said that his mission in Maiduguri was to consolidate on the peace achieved so far. He tasked the stakeholders to always cooperate with the military operatives in the course of their duties, as according to him, security forces alone cannot achieve success without vital information from the general public.

He admitted that the military might have caused some damages during operations, but that such was never intended.

He revealed that the Defense Headquarters will soon send a team of investigators to interrogate all those detained with a view to release the innocent, while those found wanting will face the full wrath of the law.

In his words: “Anybody working against the peace in the country will be forced to respect the law.”

“Terrorist are like cancer in the body and if not removed it would destroy the whole body, because any part of the country which is affected by any crisis affects the whole nation, as Nigerian one indivisible entity,” he said.

Air Commodore Onitiju said that the military repose great confidence in elders, adding that they should refrain from shielding their children involved in terrorism and other criminal activities.

At the public session held at the Ramat Square Maiduguri, parents and guardians particularly women urged the military to release their children, claiming they were innocent.

A traditional rulers who spoke at the meeting, Bulama Bashir Bukar of London Ciki appealed to the military to release those erroneously detained, even as he gave his word that the elders will work in conjunction with the military to ensure that permanent peace returns to the state.

Five years after he was suspended as the Chief Judge of Anambra State, Justice C.J Okoli on Friday condemned the decision of the National Judicial Commission, NJC, which led to his remova

Okoli took the stand during his cross-examination in a land suit before an Enugu High Court presided over by Chief Innocent Umezulike, the Chief Judge of Enugu State.

Defending his position on the matter, Okoli noted that, “I said so because they don’t have the right to question my power in transferring cases from one court to another”.

According to him, he was however later vindicated of whatever allegation as his entitlements were paid to him.

“Before the NJC concluded its investigation, I had already retired, so I got all my entitlements and emoluments, my pension, gratuity, everything”, he insisted.

It could be recalled that National Judicial Council (NJC), in 2007 suspended Chief Judge, a development that was stoutly condemned by the Anambra State House of Assembly.