Tobias Sylvester
President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday said Nigerians know his administration has done its best in fighting members of the Boko Haram sect in the North East and militants in the South-South.
Buhari spoke in an interview he granted State House correspondents after joining his family members and some top government officials to observe the Eid El-Kabir prayers inside the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
According to him, despite inheriting Boko Haram in North East and the militants in the South-South when we came in 2015, his administration has done its best to handle the insecurity situation in the country.
He however called on security agencies on the current security challenges in the North West and North Central, saying they can do better than what they are currently doing.
“I want Nigerians to be very conscious of their country and what we inherited when we came in 2015 was Boko Haram – North East and the militants, the South-South. Nigerians know that we have done our best.
“What is coming up in the North West and North Central is very disturbing indeed but I believe the military, the police, and other law enforcement agencies from the report I am getting, I think they could do much better.
“They could do much better, but we are keeping them on the alert all the time to do their duties,” he said.
On the issue of corruption, President Buhari said that all past and present cases will be fully investigated, adding, “This is why we put the commission (of investigation) in place.”
Asked how he (Buhari) feels about recent revelations coming out from the EFCC and the Niger Delta Commission, he said:
“There has been an abuse of trust by people trusted by the previous administration and this administration.
“A number of assets have been recovered and some money. But we have introduced TSA where all the monies are taken and I said asset should be sold and the money be put through TSA so that it can be identified at any level and I will see who will come after us and take it back again to those who misappropriated public funds.”
On the specific case of the Niger Delta, the President decried the wastage of the resources earmarked for improvements of the lives of the people of the region. He lamented that corruption had been unhelpful in that regard, especially “if you recall there is the 13 per cent derivation.”
He also warned against the vandalization of oil pipelines in the oil-producing areas which often results in environmental pollution. He said:
“Those who are blowing pipelines and interfering with the production of petroleum products are hurting their people more than the rest of Nigerians because majority of their people are fishermen, fisherwomen and farmers.
“Now if they pollute the land and the waters, the fish goes into the deeper sea where the people cannot go and they cannot grow anything. They are hurting their immediate communities more than any other thing.”
On his message to Nigerians as the Muslim faithful celebrate the Sallah, he told the citizenry to be conscious of what they do.
He said: “I wish Nigerians the best of luck. In the Eid-el-Kabir sermon, the Imam has said it all, we want security, prosperity and well being of all Nigerians. We want Nigerians to be very conscious of their country.
Buhari’s remark is coming two days after Boko Haram insurgents attacked the convoy of the Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, while he was on routine inspection.
On Thursday, multiple explosions from mortars fired by suspected Boko Haram members hit Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, killing two people and leaving many injured.
