THE Speaker of Borno State House of Assembly Abdulkarim Lawan yesterday said there were enough signs in the state to believe that the Nigerian military would meet the deadline set for them by President Muhammadu Buhari to end activities of insurgents in the state by December this year.

Lawan, who said the military had silently taken over about eight Local Government Areas (LGAs) initially captured by the Boko Haram terror group disclosed that only one LGA out of 20 till date remained in the grip of the insurgents.

He spoke with reporters in Ilorin during the opening of a two - day Conference of Speakers of State-Houses of Assembly to deliberate on a Model Administration of Criminal Justice Act.

For the speaker who is also the acting chairman of speakers forum, the people of the state are feeling the good impact of the activities of the Nigerian military not only in Borno but also in Yobe and Adamawa states, just as he said that many of the residents who had abandoned their homes in the heat of the invasion were now returning.

He said Nigerians should not lose hope on the rescue of the Nigerian school girls kidnapped at Chibok in Borno by the terrorists some 592 days ago. Lawan urged Nigerians instead to hold on to the promises of President Buhari on his administration's plans to rescue the girls from the claws of the terrorists.

"As of now, only one local government is yet to be liberated from Boko Haram insurgents in Borno State. That's the Abadam, located along the border town of Niger Republic. 19 LGAs are now in control of the military. And the people are gradually returning to their homes in the affected areas.

"The military is very apt in the fight against the Boko Haram insurgency. We never experienced the kind of commitment from military before. They have driven the Boko Haram to the bush. I am sure the military is equal to the task and will meet the deadline of December 2015 to rout the insurgents. So, now only Abadam local government is not liberated. And i am sure they are going to liberate every LGA in the state."

Besides, the speaker urged the people of the area to support the military to find "an end to this madness, and an un Islamic thing. Because Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states have suffered so much due to this security challenge in the last six years. Now, we are gradually getting relative peace. So, I advise the people in all these areas to support the military."