Boko Haram Terrorists Now Operate As Bandits, Says Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari disclosed yesterday that the remnants of the Boko Haram insurgents in the North-east region of the country are the ones operating as bandits killing innocent citizens.

The president spoke at the State House, Abuja, while receiving Mr. Peter Maurer, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

According to Buhari, “Boko Haram has been degraded, but its members are still a nuisance around Lake Chad and surrounding islands. That is why we are cooperating with Chad, Cameroon, Niger Republic, and other countries. We are also using the Air Force quite effectively. They are bandits, and we will continue to treat them as such.”

He said the government was concentrating on repairing damaged infrastructure, rehabilitation of internally displaced persons and securing their communities so that they could return home.

The president applauded the support of the ICRC and other humanitarian organisations. “The situation of the displaced persons is very pathetic. Some children don’t know where their parents are, neither do they know where they come from.

“We are focusing on education and healthcare, along with the rebuilding of infrastructure. The agency formerly under the leadership of Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (rtd) and now headed by Major-General Paul Tarfa (rtd) is quietly making an impression. We are dedicating lots of resources to the area.”

He disclosed that great progress had equally been made in disabusing the minds of people that the insurgency was religious.

“How can you kill people, and say ‘God is great.’ It’s either you don’t know that God or you don’t know what you are talking about. God is the God of justice. And the people have understood the message well, so recruiting is now difficult for the insurgents.”

According to Maurer, Nigeria is the fifth largest country of operation of ICRC worldwide, and the organisation would continue to render humanitarian action to people affected by violence.

On the recent killing of two officials in the North-east, he said: “We were shaken by the killing of our staff, but not discouraged. Humanitarian assistance should continue, and we applaud the hospitality of Nigeria.”

The ICRC boss said the relationship would be further strengthened with Nigeria, submitting that “the more we see activity from Nigerian authorities, the easier it is for us to add here and there.”

Earlier yesterday, President Buhari decried what he called the “undue politicisation” of the security situation in the country.

Speaking while receiving the promoters of the proposed African security leadership summit at the State House, Abuja, the president said no matter how much the revisionists tried to distort history, “the records show where we were in terms of security in 2015, where we are now, and we also know where we want to be.”

In a statement after the meeting by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina yesterday, Buhari said the relative successes of the administration since 2015 were clear, “and what remains in areas of security are also clear, despite the politicisation.”

He lauded the plan to convene a high-powered security summit that would bring together some of the leaders on the African continent, defence attaches, embassies and high commissions, the leadership of the defence community in the country, and many others.

Speaking directly to the chairman of the security summit initiative, Major-General Abdullahi Mamman (rtd), Buhari said: “I am glad that you are well experienced, and know the implications of this high-powered conference. It will be a great test for you and members of your committee. You will be dealing with professionals in security, defence and diplomacy. We will do our best to support you.”

Mamman, now a traditional ruler, led a team under the auspices of Global Initiative for Leadership Success (GILS), which is organising the security summit.

“We share in the conviction of the administration to address the