Security summit: Fighting terrorism difficult, Buhari admits

President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday admitted that the issue of security in Nigeria and in the world has been harrowing.

He lamented that technology had also been contributing to the deteriorating security situation across the globe.

Buhari said this during a joint press conference he addressed with visiting President Francois Hollande of France at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Hollande is in the country for the Second Regional Security Summit held Abuja, having hosted the first edition in Paris.

Buhari said, “Fundamentally, the issue of security has been more harrowing. The international terrorism, now with the help of technology and million of volunteers, respects no borders.

“It is a lot of concern for people of conscience to learn that in Nigeria, we have more than two million Internally Displaced Persons, most of them women and children.”

The President added that after the local government areas initially under the control of insurgents had been retrieved from them, they (insurgents) had been exploiting available technology in terms of using Improvised Explosive Devices on soft targets, including mosques, churches, markets and motor parks.

He also said many of the territories they held captive had been freed while the government’s current major challenge was the rehabilitation of destroyed infrastructure.

“On the IDPs, more than 60 per cent of them are women and children and more than 60 per cent of the children are orphans. This is a pathetic situation and it is a major problem we are going to face in this country,” Buhari said.

The President also attributed the success recorded by his administration in the anti-terrorism fight to the help of the G7 nations, including France.

He said their support came in form of training Nigerian military personnel and the provision of hardware, among others.

While saying Nigeria has been the main battle ground, Buhari noted that his administration was not aware of Boko Haram’s  international colouration until it declared loyalty for ISIS.

Hollande, on his part, admitted that terrorism was feeding on the weaknesses of the global financial system.

He said all hands must be on deck to fight corruption, the dwindling economy as well as tax havens.

These, he said, had impacted on the terrorist groups and their ability to finance arms trafficking as well as terror attacks.

Hollande said, “Are we doing enough? We have achieved major progress already but this is not the end.

“So, we shall continue to fight against all systems that enable all forms of trafficking — human trafficking happening in the Mediterranean, drug trafficking that has been linked with the terror activities and arms trafficking as well.”

The French President expressed delight that good results had been achieved in the fight against Boko Haram since the first regional summit, which his country hosted.

He said efforts were being made to address the issue of the two million refugees and displaced people.

He added that concrete steps must be taken to make sure they return to their homes.

Hollande said he and Buhari had signed a letter of intent that embodied the operations between the two countries and would lead to further agreements in defence matters.