Contrary to critics’ assertions about the President’s overseas trips, President Muhammadu Buhari Saturday declared in London that there have been both political and economic benefits to his trips.
Speaking to journalists before embarking on his five days’ break, the President said: “I haven’t seen any fruitless journey that I have undertaken.”
He chose to particularly respond to Ekiti State governor’s allegation that the trips are frivolous and money guzzling.
“I understand the governor of Ekiti said that every trip I have made costs Nigeria at least one million dollars. I don’t know how he worked that out, but every trip I have made, there must be reasons – economic and political, to justify the trip.
“So, those who don’t see it the way the government sees it have the right not to agree and to say whatever they like,” the President said.
On his government’s efforts to rid the country of corruption, the President said the fight was not selective, and promised not to yield any ground to corrupt elements in the country or in government.
“There is no way we will get a record of any public officer that has misappropriated public funds and leave him alone,” he said.
He noted that the once powerful Boko Haram terrorists, who had a choke-hold on the country’s North-east region, and claimed territories are now in tatters and a shadow of what they used to be.
“Boko Haram used to effectively control 14 local governments and they hoist their flag and declare a caliphate of some sort. Now, Boko Haram is not holding any local government.
“They are being dispersed, they are in pockets and they have reverted to technology.”
He pointed out that the decimated insurgents are at the moment only left to function with improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
“Improvised Explosive Devices – they get cooking gas, some wares and metals, put them together and get girls mostly from the age of 15 downwards and detonate it in churches, mosques, market places and motor parks and kill people en masse.
That is what they do now. We will continue to fight terrorism.”
He restated his government’s readiness to negotiate with any credible leader or representative of the terrorist group, adding that he was aware that some people who want to fraudulently enrich themselves have taken advantage of the kidnap of the Chibok schoolgirls to approach government and make claims of being leaders of Boko Haram and claiming to know the whereabouts of the schoolgirls and demanding money for it.
“People cannot just come and say they know where the Chibok girls are and they want money. Money, what for? Let them deliver, or let us negotiate. If their leadership of Boko Haram is credible, is bona fide, established, then the government is willing to discuss with them to arrive at an agreement on how to recover the girls.”
President Buhari, in a straight talk, expressed worry over the anti-social activities of Nigerians abroad, which he observed, tarnishes their image in their host countries.
He lamented that such image problem has made it difficult for Nigerians who seek to live in the West to gain acceptance by Western nations.
“Some Nigerians claim that life is too difficult back home, but they have also made it difficult for Europeans and Americans to accept them because of the number of Nigerians in prisons around the world accused of drug trafficking or human trafficking,” the Daily Telegraph newspaper, quoted him.
-Leadership
