Insecurity: Buhari Plea For Time and Understanding

 

The President, Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), for the first time in a while on Thursday commented on the insecurity problem bordering the country and urged Nigerians to show more understanding.

In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu,  titled, ‘President Buhari pledges action against bandits’ threat to national food security,’ said importing weapons and training troops in their usage involved a long process.

According to the statement, the President made the appeal while speaking with State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, shortly after observing the Eid prayer, marking the end of the Ramadan fast.

In their quick reactions, the northern sociopolitical organisation, the Arewa Consultative Forum, the Peoples Democratic Party and the Pan-Niger Delta Forum said the President should stop giving excuses.

They said the President was ignorant of plight of Nigerians who were at the mercy of kidnappers and bandits.

The President said “I expect Nigerians to be more understanding on the issues involved, looking at time and available resources.

“For example, when we came in, in the North-East, ask people in Adamawa and Borno states and the South-South in terms of security.

“Without security, you can’t do anything. Our big surprise and disappointment is what is happening in the North-West and we are dealing with it.”

The President also appealed to the nation’s elite to show a better appreciation of the problems facing the country.

“The elite should make the attempt to understand the military. If we order weapons and armoured vehicles, it takes time for the manufacturer (to deliver them).

“It takes time to ship them and when brought here eventually, they are taken to training institutions, train the trainers before sending them to the field. This is a very long process.”

Buhari promised that his regime would use all available resources and manpower in dealing with bandits so that they would no more hinder access to farms.

He said the menace of bandits and kidnappers would be addressed to ensure that the nation’s food security is not threatened.

The President, who hoped for a good rainy season this year, said “the law enforcement agencies are working hard to regain confidence against bandits, so that we can go back to the land. This is very important. This is what the agencies are busy doing right now. We want people to go back to the land so that we can get enough food for the country and even export.”

Explaining ongoing efforts to tackle the security situation in the country,  Buhari drew attention to the series of long meetings held in recent weeks, chaired by him, saying that a part of resolutions had been made public by the National Security Adviser and the others kept secret.

“With the resources and manpower available to us, we are working very hard. We are hoping Nigerians will understand the problem. Nigerians know at what stage we came in 2015, what state we are today both on security and the economy and we are doing our best,” he said.

He also commended the National Assembly for its support, saying, “the National Assembly is cooperating very well. Within the resources available, they are certainly giving us priority on our (military) requests.”

The President and members of his family were joined for the Eid at the forecourt of the Presidential Villa by the President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmed Lawan; the Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, cabinet members and the heads of security and intelligence agencies.