by 
*If the President is surprised it means he is not in charge – MBF *Buhari’s statement is a mark of sincerity – BMO
*It means they have not
been telling him the truth – Benue leader
The polity was awash with despair and shock, weekend, over
President Muhammadu Buhari’s comment expressing surprise at the level of
insecurity in the country. On Monday, while hosting eminent and respected
citizens of Niger State at the State House, Abuja, the President said: “I was
taken aback by what is happening in the North-West and other parts of the
country. During our campaigns, we knew about the Boko Haram. What is coming now
is surprising. It is not ethnicity or religion rather it is one evil plan
against the country.
“We have to be harder on them. One of the
responsibilities of government is to provide security. If we don’t secure the
country, we will not be able to manage the economy properly.” Reacting to
President Buhari’s comment, a host of eminent Nigerians and groups, across the
country, said they were shocked by the President’s surprise. According to them,
the surprise meant that the security chiefs were not telling Buhari the true
state of affairs in the country, and the presidency has not followed or ignored
media reports, which have been replete with accounts of heart-rending security
breaches on daily basis. Those who spoke on the issue with our correspondent
include the Ohanaeze Ndigbo; Middle Belt Forum, MBF; the Middle Belt Movement
for Justice and Peace, MBMJP; Jama’atu Nasril Islam, JNI; South-South monarchs
and leaders among others.
Meanwhile, the Presidency, on Thursday, lamented that
mischievous people were twisting Buhari’s comments on insecurity and advised
the traditional media, and commentators on social media, to keep fidelity to
the truth, and not concoct narratives to suit some sinister motives. Special
Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Chief Femi Adesina, in a
statement said that the reportage of Buhari’s comments was slanted to mean that
President Buhari said he was unaware of the security challenges in some parts
of the country. “Far from it, except to the mischievous mind. The President is
fully aware and fully in charge of all that is going on. The statement by the
President was clear enough, and these are the salient points:
“In 2015, we knew there was Boko Haram insurgency,
particularly in the North-East, and we mentioned it in our campaigns. There are
clear economic and cultural factors behind the clashes that sadly rocked many
of our communities, be they the Fulani-Tiv or Fulani-Berom conflict, the Tiv
versus Jukun and so on. By now, these conflicts are fairly under control. “By
2019, banditry had surfaced in the North-West. It was surprising, as the area
is almost homogeneous, made up of Hausa-Fulanis. The combatants are largely
Muslim. This is what the President said he was surprised about. “The point he
made was that what is happening in the country is not about ethnicity or
religion, it is plainly an evil plan against the nation. “It is disingenuous
that the earlier and later parts of the statement were downplayed, and the
middle part misinterpreted to mean that President Buhari was unaware or
surprised by the security situation in the country.”
Buhari’s statement is a
mark of sincerity — BMO
Indeed, Mack Ogbamosa, a lawyer/journalist and
the Lagos Coordinator of the Buhari Media Organisation, BMO, said people should
not misconstrue the president’s sincerity to weakness or failure. He told our
correspondent: “The President’s expression of surprise at the level of
insecurity in the country is not borne out of weakness or failure but out of
honesty and sincerity. Unlike many of our political leaders, who play to the
gallery, here is a man who tells his people the truth. He is not a typical
Nigerian politician. He admits his challenges and works towards tackling them.
He is saying that even though we have achieved a reasonable level of success in
fighting insecurity, the various forms of insecurity we are experiencing today
were not envisaged. “Before he became president in 2015, the only major form of
insecurity in the country as Boko Haram. Soon after he was sworn in, Nigeria in
collaboration with the Multi-National Joint Task Force involving Cameroon,
Niger and Chad chased Boko Haram out of the communities they occupied in the
North-East. Boko Haram forces were forced to run to Sambisa Forest.
“Eventually, while Boko Haram appeared not to be a major threat, other
dimensions of insecurity like kidnapping, herders/farmers clashes, banditry and
communal clashes unexpectedly came up. As if these were not enough, other
security threats from a faction of the Islamic State of West Africa Province,
ISWAP, and another faction of Boko Haram loyal to Abubakar Shekau sprang up.
“These are monumental challenges which even bigger countries than Nigeria
cannot easily surmount. The solutions to some of these challenges go beyond the
President of the Federal Government. States and local governments have a role
to play. The private sector has a role to play in providing employment
opportunities for our restive youths, who are easily deployed for these crimes.”
My heart bleeds — Maren
However, Hon Maren, the
lawmaker representing Mangu/Bokkos Federal Constituency of Plateau State in the
House of Representatives, said he was shocked by Buhari’s comments. “I am in
shock too. If the President actually said that, it means the insinuations that
the cabal is in charge is true. Because it is amazing for a chief security
officer of a country to claim ignorance of his most important responsibility
(security and welfare of the people) of which he took the oath of office for.
It is most unfortunate that we are going through this as a nation. My heart
bleeds.”
After surprise, he should do the needful, sack service chiefs — Ohanaeze
The Igbo apex
socio-cultural organization, Ohanaze Ndigbo while backing the call by the
National Assembly for President Buhari to sack the service chiefs as they could
not provide security to Nigerians, said Buhari’s expression of surprise was not
enough. Publicity Secretary of the Igbo apex body, Prince Uche Achi-Ogbaga,
said when the President himself was reported to be shocked at the level of
insecurity, there was no need reminding him to do the needful by changing the
service chief as they may have exhausted their idea. Achi-Ogbaga said there is
an urgent need to engage people with new ideas to tackle the security crisis in
Nigeria. “You see, the concern crept from the corresponding media report to the
effect that the President is shocked at the level of banditry or insecurity in
the country. One would wonder because if the Commander-In-Chief of the Armed
Forces is in shock then the defenceless Nigerians should be in a severe coma.
“If after five years at the helm of affairs of Nigeria as President all he
could offer is to still express shock one should be able to say that he has no
solution to the threat without being controverted by any rational and
apolitical mind. “Recall that the government has demonstrated in many fora that
Boko Haram has been defeated. Today, Boko Haram is still attacking ferociously,
killing innocent and defenceless citizens and more. “Other deadly criminal
outfits, including the daredevil, kidnapping and massacre-infested Fulani
herdsmen, are springing up here and there. The implication is that the
government is not living up to its responsibility of safeguarding the lives and
property of its citizens because nothing is more precious than life and if is
not given priority of protection everything is lost. “
It means he is not in charge ― MBF
In like manner, the President Middle Belt Forum, MBF, Dr Pogu
Bitrus said the Buhari’s comment was a clear indication that the President was
not in control of the country. His words: “It is a huge surprise that the
President who is the Commander-in-Chief, who has the highest level of
information, because nobody in this country has the kind of information the
President has, could utter that kind of statement. “We know that all the
security agencies give him information. Even the Department of State Service,
DSS, man does not have that kind of information because the President gets
additional information from NIA and all other security sources including
international bodies that have links with him. “So it is unfortunate that Mr
President would make such a statement. It just means that he is not in control.
It means a lot for the President and Commander-in-Chief to say that.
“It is also discouraging. When such a statement is made by
the Commander-in-Chief it means we are in trouble because it then means that we
are moving on autopilot, no government, it is unfortunate. “We have cried out
over and over, and thank God the National Assembly is also putting pressure.
The fact is that security architecture is faulty. “We have the wrong people
heading our security network. It appears there is no agreement and synergy
between the Army and the Airforce in fighting insurgency, crime and Boko Haram
and the killer herdsmen are also roaming around doing what they feel like doing
without being checked. “The kidnappings and banditry have gone out of control.
So it is time the President sought and took the advice and wise counsel now
coming from the National Assembly to re-jig the security architecture. “Of
course people like us support the emergence of Amotekun which is a necessity
since the federal government cannot protect the people, the state governors
have now taken the responsibility of protecting the people because all of them
swore to the same constitution. “Moreover the primary responsibility of
government is the provision of welfare and security to the people. Where the
federal government fails the state governments have to do their job and provide
security and welfare to the people. “So in that regard, Amotekun is hundred per
cent supported and other state governors need to have similar outfits to
protect their citizenry or indigenes of their states. “I am in support of
Amotekun and I believe any right-thinking Nigerian unless the person is part of
the problem itself, would have to support such an initiative which is noble,
patriotic and which will secure Nigeria from these people who have taken us
hostage.
Source: Vanguard
