News

May 18, 2016

Corruption in military responsible for Nigeria’s loss of 14 LGAs to Boko haram – Buhari

By Levinus Nwabughiogu
ABUJA – President Muhammadu Buhari has said that the successes recorded by the Nigerian military against Boko haram insurgents was because his government rid the institutions of corruption.

He said that the loss of 14 local government areas to Boko Haram last year had greatly tarnished the reputation of the Nigerian Armed Forces.

This was contained in a statement by the senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu.

Shehu in the statement said that president Buhari made the disclosure at an audience with the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Dr. Ahmed El-Tayeb.

The President noted, however, that with measures taken by his Administration to curb corruption and provide better weaponry, logistics, training and welfare for soldiers on the frontlines, the Nigerian military has now almost totally incapacitated Boko Haram as a fighting force and recovered all territories that were lost to the terrorist sect.

“When we curbed corruption and removed the injustice in the military, we began to make progress,” President Buhari said.

President Buhari who accepted the support of Muslims across the world for Nigeria’s war against Boko Haram, also said that the war against terrorism was also a war against injustice, which he said was not condoned by Islam and all the major religions.

According to him, the visit of Dr. El-Tayeb and his expression of solidarity with Nigeria in the war against terrorism was a clear indication of global Muslim support for Nigeria against the unjust killing of the innocent by terrorists.

“You can’t kill the innocent in churches or in mosques and shout Allahu Akbar,” President Buhari said.

Shehu also stated that the president reaffirmed his administration’s determination to resettle all persons who were displaced by the Boko Haram insurgency even as he thanked the Grand Imam for the donation of scholarships, educational and medical supplies to Nigeria’s Internally Displaced Persons.

Meanwhile, the visiting Dr. El-Tayeb told President Buhari that Muslims all over the world shared Nigeria’s pains from terrorism and would continue to support efforts to ensure the return of peace and unity amongst all faiths in the country.