As Nigerians celebrate Eid-el-fitri, President Muhammadu Buhari has assured citizens complete victory and defeat terrorists, masquerading under the name of Islam.

In his Sallah message, Buhari said “Victory is within sight,”

The President, in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, sent his best wishes to Muslims in Nigeria and across the world celebrating the occasion.

He said that with the end of the fast,” we have cause to welcome the occasion( Eid-el-Fitri)  in hope.

Buhari described the war against insurgents and their allies as “long and hard,” saying that with the designation of bandits as terrorists, the challenges of banditry and kidnapping were being tackled differently in the Northwest and Northcentral.

The statement reads in part: ”As the Holy month of Ramadan reaches its end and Muslims mark the Eid, President  Buhari sends his best wishes to Muslims in Nigeria and across the world celebrating the occasion:

“After a period of fasting and reflection this year, we have cause to welcome the occasion in hope.

”The battle waged against terrorists who falsely masquerade under the name of Islam is approaching its conclusion.

“The fight has been long and hard. The final victory is within sight. Boko Haram and its offshoots’ final embers are now fading.

“Last month, the leader of ISWAP was killed in an airstrike. Since the New Year, thousands of fighters have surrendered to enter rehabilitation programmes.

”The territories they used to occupy are now seeing the return of those who were forced to flee their barbarity.

”Normalcy is finally beginning to return to the Northeast. It is a long process. Yet it is one we are together, now embarking upon.

“With the designation of bandit groups as terrorists, the challenges of banditry and kidnapping are being tackled differently in the Northwestern and Northcentral states where the latest military acquisitions and the Armed Forces are being fanned out across the region to thwart acts of terror.”

“This administration is equally getting impressive reports of the special operations to curb crude oil theft and illegal oil bunkering in the Southsouth with millions of illegally refined products being impounded and illegal refineries destroyed.

“While we are making progress cleaning the environment, some evil people are busy causing more pollution and destruction.”