FG’s Effort In Fighting Boko Haram Is Unsatisfactory –
Buhari
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, the Katsina-born politician, expressed worry that a “whole government cannot mobilise its law enforcement agencies, to at least know where those (abducted Chibok) girls are” adding that the “insecurity gripping the nation now is intolerable”.
He further noted that “Nigeria is more than capable of fighting against this insurgency; if we can fight a civil war successfully for 30 long months, without borrowing a kobo”, but wondered “how this government, despite what it allocates to security, rushed to the National Assembly to seek a $1billion loan, to fight the insurgency”.
Buhari, who has contested for the position of president in the last three general elections, said he expected the Federal Government to enter into a regional agreement with leaders of neighbouring countries – Cameroon, Chad and Niger – to hinder the cross border mobility of the insurgents, arms and training facilities, maintaining that it “is the first step that they (Federal Government) should have taken”.
He further alleged that “we have enough information that Cameroon are fighting Boko Haram more successfully than Nigeria”.
He also wondered why the Nigerian Army has been unable to perform, “despite our number and the resources being given to them”, insisting that we need to get credible intelligence reports to ascertain the reason.
“We have to get the President’s of the neighbouring countries, to make sure Boko Haram is denied the facility to move around and to train and bring weapons into this country”, he said.
He claimed that officials of the Nigerian Army have repeatedly told foreign media outfits that “they have been pushed to war without enough weapons” adding that “you can’t fight, even a guerrilla warfare, with your fists. You have to have appropriate weapons to do it.
Gen. Buhari, however blamed the government for allowing “mind boggling” corruption to thrive which has sabotaged the efforts of the Nigerian Army
“The National Assembly went and got details on the money appropriated for equipment and training of the military and were disgusted to hear that the Nigerian soldiers were complaining that the Boko Haram soldiers are more armed than they.
“And yet Nigerian money is being given to the government to provide procure weapons, to train military properly so they can face the insurgents properly but what is happening to the resources”, he quipped.
I Still Have Something To Offer
Gen Buhari also spoke about his presidential aspiration noting that “with my experience I still have something to offer this country especially at this particular time”.
He maintained that at the age of 71, he is not too old to run for office because there is no constitutional limit adding that “if we reflect very seriously from 1999 till date, you will find out perhaps there are causes for people who think the country can be better run, to come out and seek to do so”.
Gen Buhari, who had promised not to seek the office of president after failing in 2011, said his supporters from states and groups cajoled him to seek office “against my personal wish, because to them I never said I will leave partisan politics”.
