Buhari pledges more resources to deal with insecurity in northwest, other areas

 

President Muhammadu Buhari has given assurances that there will be more resources for the military, police and other security agencies to deal with the security situation in parts of the country.

The president gave the assurance shortly after performing the Eid prayers with his family and aides at the forecourt of the State House, Abuja on Friday.

While assessing the state of security in the country, the president described the situation, particularly in the North West and the North Central parts of the country as “very disturbing.”

President Buhari said that while much had been achieved, security wise, from the situation he inherited in 2015, more still needed to be done.

He said considering the security situation on ground when he came to office, “Nigerians know that we have done our best.

“However, what is coming out of the North West and the North Central is very disturbing.”

Responding to a specific question on the performance of the Service Chiefs which recently, he said needed to get better, the President said that the military, the police and other security agencies are working hard.

“We are making available resources to them to even do better. “From the reports I am getting, 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 added.

On the issue of corruption, President Buhari also assured that all past and present cases would be fully investigated.

“This is why we put the commission (of investigation) in place. There has been abuse of trust by people trusted by the previous administration and this administration,” he said.

He stressed that all of such cases would be uncovered and firmly dealt with by his government.

On the specific case of the Niger Delta, the President decried the wastage of the resources earmarked for the betterment of the lives of the people of that 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 vandalisation of oil pipelines in the oil- producing areas which often results in environmental pollution.

“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 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,” the President further noted.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that members of the nation’s first family, presidential aides and some staff of the State House joined President Buhari in performing the Eid prayers.

NAN reports that the president after the prayer personally slaughter his own ram in accordance with Islamic injunctions.

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