President Muhamamdu Buhari has attributed Nigeria’s insecurity problem to powerful countries bent on destroying Nigeria.
The President described Boko Haram as a fraudulent organization with links to international groups bent on destroying Nigeria, saying his administration has succeeded in decimating the terror group, limiting their capacity to inflict harm.
Buhari, who spoke on Monday in Kano at a Presidential lunch after his tour around the State to commission several projects executed by the Federal and State governments and the private sector, said: “One can clearly see how these foreign countries took on our weaker part of Nigeria, the Lake Chad where we have reserves of crude oil, and cause serious mayhem there with consistent attacks.”
But for Governor Babagana Zulum who is serious with his duty, the story of the area around Lake Chad would have been different by now, Buhari said.
The President reminded that in 2015 when he assumed office, only four of Borno’s 17 local government areas were not in the hands of Boko Haram.
“And we are aware that people are using the insurgents who are fraudulent to cause problems, but today most of these local governments [areas] are free,” he said.
The President added that those behind the insecurities knew that Borno was potentially a rich State. “That was why when I was a Governor there, I went to Niger, Chad and even Cameroon because you need your neighbours to survive,” he stated.
President Buhari also described ongoing infrastructure development across the country as ‘fantastic,’ urging citizens to appreciate what they have as the situation in the country is not dire when compared with other countries.
The President spoke at a State Banquet in Kano to conclude his one-day official visit to the State, said: ‘‘We have a great country but we do not appreciate it until we visit our neighbors and other countries where the preoccupation is for people to have one good meal a day.
‘‘When I fly by helicopter, the number of high-rise buildings I see and the amount of development on the ground are fantastic. We thank God. We thank God. We thank God,’’ he said.
President Buhari urged the elites to encourage and inspire young people to embrace education, saying whether we like it or not we are going to leave the country for them.
‘‘They must embrace education for education’s sake. Technology has made it possible for short cuts but nothing can replace real learning. Please encourage the children to learn.
The president also urged the elite to work on the education of youths, saying the lack of education among them is a problem.
President Buhari also cracked a joke saying he has huge qualifications including that of suffering and enjoyment while reminding that he was in prison and had contested the presidency on several occasions.