Boko Haram: Nigerians Know We’ve Done Our Best In Tackling Insecurity – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday asserted that his administration had done its best as far as fighting members of the Boko Haram sect in the North-East and militants in the South-South were concerned.

He stated this in an interview he granted State House correspondents after joining his family members and some top government officials to observe the Eid El-Kabir prayers inside the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The President’s claim that he has done his best on insurgency and militancy came two days after insurgents attacked the convoy of the Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum.

The governor was said to be on routine inspection when his convoy was attacked by suspected members of Boko Haram between Baga and Munguno on Wednesday.

On Thursday, multiple explosions from mortars fired by suspected Boko Haram members hit Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, leaving many injured.

But Buhari, who recalled that his regime inherited the security challenges from the previous administration, said he has done his best.

He however expressed dissatisfaction with security agencies on the current security challenges in the North-West and North-Central, saying they can do better than what they are currently doing.

The President said, “I want Nigerians to be very conscious of their country and what we inherited when we came in 2015 was Boko Haram – North East and the militants, the South-South. Nigerians know that we have done our best.

“What is coming up in the North-West and North-Central is very disturbing indeed but I believe the military, the police, and other law enforcement agencies from the report I am getting, I think they could do much better.

“They could do much better, but we are keeping them on the alert all the time to do their duties.”

The President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, later issued a statement quoting Buhari as giving assurances that there would be more resources for the country’s military, police, and other security agencies to deal with the unwanted security situation in some areas of the country.

In the statement entitled: “President Buhari pledges more resources to deal with ‘very disturbing’ security situation in parts of the country”, Shehu said the President, while assessing the state of security in the country, described the situation, particularly in the North West and the North Central parts of the country as “very disturbing”.

The presidential spokesman further quoted his principal as saying that while much had been achieved, security-wise, from the situation he inherited in 2015, more still needed to be done.

The statement read, “He (the President) said considering the security situation on ground when he came to office, ‘Nigerians know that we have done our best. However, what is coming out of the North West and the North Central is very disturbing.’

“Responding to a specific question on the performance of the service chiefs which recently, he said needed to get better, the President said that the military, the police, and other security agencies are working hard.

“We are making available resources to them to even do better,” he assured, adding that “from the reports I am getting, they could do much better…they could do much better. But we are keeping them on the alert all the time to do their duties.”