By Ishaya Ibrahim, News Editor
What the presidency obviously intended as a public relations stunt on Monday in the wake of the gruesome massacre of farmers in Borno State failed to impress Nigerians who excoriated President Muhammadu Buhari.
Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, took to the twitter on monday to announce that a combined team from both the executive and legislative arms of government were in Borno to condole with the people and hovernment of the embattled state over the slaughter of not less than 43 farmers by Boko Haram terrorists over the weekend.
Writing on his confirmed twitter handle, @GarShehu, the presidential media aide said:
“A team of high level officials representing the Executive and Legislative arms of government was in Maiduguri on Monday to deliver a message of condolence and solidarity with the government and people of Borno State following the recent Boko Haram killing of 43 farm workers.
“In the message, President Buhari expressed the condolences of the government and people of Nigeria and gave strong assurances of his continuous commitment to fighting insurgency and all forms of insecurity in Borno State and all over Nigeria.
“The President committed himself to making more resources available to the military to prosecute the war, adding that he will “work closely with neighbouring countries on bilateral and multilateral levels to ensure that there is no hiding place for the terrorists.
“Nothing is more important than ensuring the security of lives and property of the people. Everything is secondary when security is at a stake.
“As we mourn the loss of our sons in Zabarmari, the Armed Forces have been given the marching order to take the fight to the insurgents, not on a one-off, but on a continuous basis until we root out the terrorists,” said the President.
Shehu who was part of the delegation furtehr said, “President Buhari commended Governor Babagana Zulum for his leadership in running the affairs of the state.”
He said Governor Zulum in his response thanked the President for “ensuring relative peace since his assumption of office,” stating clearly that the situation is much better than he met it.
Shehu said, “The Governor presented a number of requests on behalf of his people, including that the youths of the state should be enlisted in military and paramilitary organizations to play their roles in the defence of the nation.
“He called on the FG to assist in the repatriation of Borno indigenes in camps in neighbouring countries & requested the Nat’l Assembly to tweak the draft budget now before them to allow better allocation of resources for the N-East sub-region, which he alleged is being side-lined.”
At the palace of the Shehu of Borno, His Eminence Abubakar Umar Ibn Garbai, the presidential aide claimed that the “traditional ruler described as “madness,” the gruesome killings and urged his subjects to pray and offer useful information to the security agencies,” and thanked President Buhari for his efforts in returning normalcy to the state.
“Before this administration came, all 27 local councils and the Emirs had migrated to Maiduguri. We had no power from the National Grid, Telephone services were discontinued and the airport was closed,” Garba Shehu quoted the traditional ruler as saying and commended the President for changing all that for the better.
The tweet further read, “The delegation was also in Zabarmari, Jere Local Government where the incident took place. The local Imam, Alhaji Idris who responded on behalf of the community said they were touched by the President’s gesture, saying, “we are happy that the President is with us in our moment of grief. Tell him that we are very happy with him.”
Aside the Senate President and Chief of Staff to the President, the delegation included the House Majority Whip, Tahir Monguno, the Ministers of the Federal Capital Territory, Muhammed Musa Bello, Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, Minister of Agriculture (State), Mustapha Shehuri and Works and Housing (State), Engineer Abubakar Aliyu and the National Security Adviser, Major General Babagana Monguno (Rtd).
But in a swift reaction, Nigerians also took to the twitter to condemn Buhari for not deeming it necessary to visit the state in person.
Replying to @GarShehu@GarShehu, Ajagun samuel@iamajagunsamuel wrote, “trying to explain how this administration has technically defeated Boko Haram.
NA GIMBIYA@NaSarauniya: If Covid-19 did not affect the president in his International trips and inside Villa. It will not affect him in Zabarmari. Going to Borno state is also an emergency function too. President North Needs you. Abuja is not your Root (Home town).
abdullahi maina dalatu@dalatu_maina: Wallahi yesterday must of us have a sleepless night Allah is watching you Everyone must stand before Allah and answer questions about the way he handle us Fear Allah and remember that the last day must surely come.
Xavier Kanu@KanuXVI: Our President seems to be an immovable object when it comes to this kinna assignments? I wonder. I remember Jonathan going for scene assessment and the likes. Abi it’s only outside country our president loves going to?
Kehinde Ajayi@Kehinde1414: Your government is always very good at mourning and paying condolent visits. This would have been avoided if the right steps are being taken to corb the massacre. Good radiance to bad rubbish…!!!
Julius Chukwudi@Jules_wurld replying to @GarShehu: One minute you’re blaming the slain citizens for “not obtaining clearance”; the next minute you’re sending condolences. Don’t you feel for yourself for what Ogun will do to you?
Premier of Nigeria@PremierNigeria replying to @GarShehu: “……….The massacre of the farm workers as the worst form of senseless, buharific and gruesome murder”…… I hope you won’t send DSS after me.
Auwal Ibrahim@AuwalIb00041087: Very sad situation in the north killings innocent pple all the time and government didn’t taking any serious action about it.
Torhsen@torhsen replying to @GarShehui really respect the fact the presidency team are already in Maiduguri to access the situation but sir @GarShehu, it would’ve mean a lot if the president was there himself. you might not agree with me but his presence would’ve given assurances to people of Borno and the military.
Emmanuel Ndiokwere@EmmanuelNdiokw4 replying to @GarShehu The children of hate say that this well intended high powered condolence visit to the govt and people of Borno means nothing as long as it was not Buhari that headed the delegation.
