President Blames Prolonged Insurgency on Corrupt Officials

President Muhammadu Buhari has blamed the protracted insurgency in the North-east on corruption and the embezzlement of funds meant to acquire equipment to fight terrorists in the regions by some government and military officials.

Yet, as the president was laying the blame on the doorsteps of some corrupt officials, the Nigerian military in its latest aerial assault against Boko Haram enclaves in the North-east, said it killed several of the sect’s commanders, including a fatally wounded man believed to be the eccentric leader of the terror group Abubakar Shekau.

Speaking yesterday at the launch of the Reviewed National Counter Terrorism Strategy (NACTEST) by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the president described the behaviour of the guilty officials as “disgraceful and wicked”.

Buhari, who was represented by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, said that the selfish acts of the officials cost the nation thousands of lives, extended the reign of terror and strengthened the hold of territories in 27 local government areas in the country at a time.
He lamented that the activities and the warped ideologies of the sect still linger through personal contacts and the social media.

Buhari also described as mindless, the killings, kidnappings and destruction of churches and mosques carried out by Boko Haram terrorists, adding that such heinous activities are meant to instill fear in the citizens.

He said: “In the past few years, our nation has faced the threat of terrorism characterised by mindless killing of our people, including children. The massacre of the Buni-Yadi boys in their hostels at night, the bombing of churches, mosques and market places, the kidnap of the Chibok girls, and many others.

“The sheer recklessness of the killings and the shocking barbarity of executions were meant to terrorise and produce maximum fear. To further establish their reign of terror, they took territories and hoisted their tattered flag in almost 27 local governments in the North-east.

“Sadly, because of the disgraceful greed and wickedness of men, some in government and some in high offices in the armed forces at the time, they embezzled funds meant to equip soldiers to contain the terrorists.

“Their incredible selfishness cost the nation thousands of lives, extended the reign of terror, and strengthened the enemy,” he stressed.

The president however noted that his administration had since inception been committed “to the absolute defeat of the terrorists and to quicken and emboldened the morale of our armed forces”.

He also restated his orders to the security agencies to ensure that those that threaten the peace of the country, including the lives and property of citizens, are brought to book.
“I have repeatedly ordered our law enforcement agents, to ensure that the perpetrators of violence in any shape or form are arrested and made to face the law,” he said.

Buhari stressed that a robust counter terrorism strategy was crucial in the fight against terrorism and must be constantly reviewed from relevance to contemporary challenges.

To this end, he said that the launch of the revised counter-terrorism strategy, underscores the fact that terrorism has numerous ideologies, not static and the response must be dynamic and versatile.

The president noted that “since May 29, 2015, we have committed ourselves as a government to the absolute defeat of terrorists, and to re-equipping and rebuilding the morale of our armed forces”.
He added: “The gallant men and women of the armed forces, in a few months freed many from Boko Haram held territory and fatally degraded the fighting capacity of the terrorists.

source: thisdaylive