Boko Haram a fraudulent plot to destroy Nigeria – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday described Boko Haram as a fraudulent plot to destroy Nigeria.

Buhari, according to a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, stated this when the executive committee of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) paid him a courtesy visit at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The president, however, said the security situation in the country had improved over the years, particularly in the North- East where the focus had shifted to rebuilding infrastructure and re-orientation of the citizens on education.

He assured Nigerians that the gains recorded in security would be further consolidated, and priority attention would be given to the economy before the end of his tenure on May 29.

The president also described the Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah, as the “most vigorous fighter” during group photographs at the end of the visit.

The cleric is one of the major critics of the current administration.

Kukah had in his Christmas message said the president would leave Nigeria in a most precarious situation than he met it in 2015.

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He also berated Buhari for nepotism and breach of the federal character principle in the appointments of officials into his government in the last seven-and-half years.

But at the meeting, the president thanked the clerics for the visit and assured them that the government would continue to rebuild infrastructure in parts of the country affected by terrorist attacks.

He said: “I am very grateful for your visit to the Presidential Villa, and I agree with you on some of the observations you have made. The question of insecurity is most important to us because unless a country or institution is at peace, it will be difficult to manage.

“I just came back from Adamawa and Yobe States. During the visit to both states, I listened carefully to what the people and officials had to say. And they all said the situation had improved since 2015, especially in Borno State.

“Boko Haram was just fraudulent and a plot to destroy Nigeria. You can’t say people should not learn; the people need to grow intellectually.”

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