Nigeria Dealing With Protracted Security Problem ― Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari, on Thursday, met with the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, telling the body that the country is dealing with a protracted security problem.

However, he has assured that his administration is doing everything necessary to halt the menace.

The president said the government has continued to provide the military with the needed equipment as he called on citizens to provide timely intelligence to the nation’s security agencies.

While noting that the government cannot do it alone, he urged the people to lend their support to the fight against insurgency.

He said: “Security is a protracted challenge. But we are not relenting in our efforts. We equipping the military.

“We encourage localities to enhance their intelligence gathering and timely remitting to the security agencies.”

President Buhari also pointed out that his administration is diversifying the economy as it bids to reduce poverty in the country.

Similarly, he noted that the war against corruption is relentless, assuring that his government will continue to discharge its constitutional responsibilities and ensuring harming in the country.

He assured that he will continue to promote religious freedom and be fair to all as urged all Nigerians to work together.

Buhari added: “We are diversifying the economy to reduce poverty, we are combating corruption.

“We will continue to promote religious freedom as a constitutional responsibility. If the country must work, we must continue to work together in spite of ethnic and religious differences.

“It is my solemn decision to be fair to all in society. “

The president urged the traditional leaders to give full backing to the Alternate School Programme (ASP) recently launched even as he admonished them to lend their voices to the COVID-19 global public health crisis to curtail the spread of the disease.

He reiterated that the government is working hard to procure COVID-19 vaccines, pleading the NCSIA to join in the drive to educate people on the importance.

Earlier in his address, Sultan Abubakar commended the president for the successes achieved so far in the Northeast, calling on the government to deal decisively with the banditry that is raving the Northwestern States of Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto and some parts of the North-Central.

While expressing confidence that security forces, with better synergy among them, will overcome present challenges, he solicited for the cooperation of all the governors with the federal government irrespective of their political leanings, calling on Nigerians to support the new leadership of the armed forces.

The NSCIA leader also appealed to Nigerians, particularly religious leaders to refrain from making inflammatory comments that tend towards sowing discord in the polity and exacerbating the current level of insecurity in the land. He asked that religious leaders making subversive comments should be called to order.

The meeting, which took place in the council chamber of the presidential villa, Abuja was also attended by the Etsu Nupe, Yahaya Abubakar; the Ministers of the Federal Capital Territory, Interior, Information and Culture, Mohammed Bello, Rauf Aregbesola and Lai Mohammed respectively, as well as the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj Gen Babagana Mongunu and the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof Ibrahim Gambari.

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