MUHAMMADU Buhari was elected president based on his credentials as a war-tested military general and former no-nonsense military ruler. He was touted by the All Progressives Congress, APC, propagandists as the man with the magic wand to end Boko Haram terrorism within six months.
After seven years and two months of his leadership, what do we have? We now have a profusion of terrorist outfits emasculating Nigeria; a nation that won its war of unity and led regional efforts to restore order and democracy in countries like Liberia, Sierra Leone and Cote d’Ivoire. This is a country whose armed forces and Police have always excelled and won awards in all their international assignments.
Our armed forces suddenly found themselves unable to zap jihadist terrorists even when they were at their infancy? This is 13 years and counting since Boko Haram sprouted in Maiduguri.
Apart from Boko Haram in Borno and Niger States, we now have Islamic State in West Africa Province, ISWAP, in Borno, Niger, Kogi and Abuja; Ansaru in Kaduna; and Bandit-Terrorists in Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Zamfara, Sokoto, Niger and Nasarawa states.
We also have herdsmen terrorists hiding in the forests of Southern Kaduna, Benue, Taraba, Plateau and all the states of the South! They are killing, destroying and taking over communities, kidnapping for ransom, raping and arming up for more violence.
The Federal Government simply goes through motions without movement while these demons upgrade from picking on soft civilian targets to targeting government and its armed forces. They have brought down a fighter jet, severally attacked military establishments in Kaduna, attacked the Kaduna Airport; and busted a train, killing passengers and carting scores into the wilderness.
They have also attacked Kuje Prison, releasing their members. To top it all, they have hit Buhari’s convoy en route Daura. The attack on the Brigade of Guards which protects the president and the seat of government, is a pointer to their seriousness in the threat to abduct the President, Governor Nasir el-Rufai and other top politicians.
In many of these attacks, government officials have admitted that they received multiple prior warnings. The President seems unperturbed as he keeps junketing around the globe on assignments that the Vice President, Ministers and Ambassadors can easily handle while he devotes attention to his duties as Commander-in-Chief.
We firmly hold President Buhari accountable for the prevailing security situation of this country. The buck stops on his table. We elected him to do a job. Why is he not doing it? Why is intelligence disregarded as confirmed by senior government officials? Where is Buhari taking Nigeria?
We still have 10 months for this administration to go. We cannot continue like this. Nigeria must not sink. We demand the security of our lives and property from this government!
