The Presidency this afternoon took stock of the State of Emergency imposed a month ago by President Goodluck Jonathan on three statesin Nigeria’s North-East and declared that the war against terror is being won.

Senior Special Assistant to the President (Public Affairs), Dr. Doyin Okupe, in a statement issued in the capital city Abuja also commended youths in the affected areas for partnering with the military in the war against terror. Okupe, however, lambasted opposition politicians who opposed the emergency rule in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa, saying that they “are actually clueless and unfortunately blinded by their political pursuits.” Hear the presidential spokesman:

“One month into the State of Emergency declared by President Goodluck Jonathan in some statesin the North Eastern part of Nigeria,reports from Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states are reassuring as normalcy is gradually being restored as a result of thegallant efforts of the Armed forces and othersecurity agencies as well as the co operationof the local communities.

“Markets are being reopened, children are returning to school, sacked communities are being re-inhabitedwhile commercial activities in major towns in theaffected states are approaching pre-insurgency period.

“Perhaps most gratifying is the new development where citizens, especially youths, are now fully co operating with security agencies to hunt down these insurgents and hand them over to the military.

“Without doubt, these youths are the new national heroes who have risen up to the occasion in an unprecedented patriotic fashion to work together with their governmentby going after their tormentors. This isheart-warming and clearly indicative of an awakened consciousness of civic responsibility.

“Also contrary to a report in some media that 8,000 Nigerians were fleeing to Niger Republic as a result of the emergency rule, the National Emergency Management Agency and the Borno State government have confirmed that only 126 Nigerians have so farbeen displaced by the operations and that the bulk of the refugees referred to in the report were Nigeriens returning to Niger.

“It is therefore gratifying that Nigeria is winning the war on terror and that the decision by President Goodluck Jonathan to declare a State of Emergency in those three states is timely, effective and strategically unassailable.

“The results have proven that the opposition political leaders who opposed the decision on the emergency rule as well as the proscription of terrorist groupsare actually clueless and unfortunately blinded by their political pursuits.”

•Photo shows Nigerian troops enforcing the emergency rule.