‘Killings not peculiar to Nigeria,’ Presidency responds to Daily Trust’s criticism of Buhari handling of insecurity

The Presidency has responded to a critical Daily Trust editorial accusing President Muhammadu Buhari of seemingly permitting insecurity across the country.

The newspaper had in the editorial decried the Federal Government’s poor handling of the nation’s security challenges.

It added that life has lost its value under President Buhari’s watch.

But in a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the Presidency slammed the newspaper for refusing to acknowledge the complexity of the challenges facing the country and efforts of the government to tackle them.

The statement read: “The Daily Trust’s suggestion that the President exchanges violence for the support he got electorally is beneath a publication that claims any kind of political neutrality or integrity.

“Now is not the time for this sort of lurid political journalism.

“Given the seriousness of the issue raised by the Daily Trust today, the Office of the President would like to issue a response.

“The growing instability and violence in the North of Nigeria and elsewhere is unacceptable. No one, not least the Presidency underestimates the seriousness of the situation.

“Every day, the President holds the victims and their families in his thoughts and prayers. Above all, he wishes to reassure them – and all Nigerians – that tackling the scourge of banditry and terrorism remains this government’s first priority.

“Sadly, in this respect, Nigeria is not unique. Violence and terror have risen steadily across the entire African continent over the last decade.

READ ALSO: Buhari gives NSA, Police, other security agencies marching order over killings in northern Nigeria

“So we understand the frustrations of the Daily Trust and Nigeria’s northern communities about the ongoing challenges of security and the Buhari administration is no less worried.

“But it is only fair to say that Nigeria’s persistent and continued efforts to suppress that instability have seen results, with the terror group, Boko Haram among others reduced to a shell of its former self.”

The Presidency, however, admitted that the Daily Trust had correctly identified the source of the violence as an amalgam of many complex issues such as poverty and unemployment.

“It is equally right to note that, in tackling the violence, force alone will not be enough. It is quite wrong, however, to suggest the problem of insecurity is intractable, and more wrong still to claim apathy on the part of the government.

“So what is the government doing?

“First, our military efforts have not let up. It is true that in the face of today’s growing number of threats from Boko Haram, kidnappers, and IPOB to your run-of-the-mill bandits, our forces are stretched increasingly thin. But our dedicated soldiers are working around the clock to keep Nigerians safe.

“Second, alongside military force, this government is seeking to address the violence at its economic source.

“Massive infrastructure projects like the coastal rail and new train from the southern coast through the North-East to our neighbour Niger, aim to expand employment and opportunity across the country, bringing hope to our more remote and poorer regions where bandits and terrorists thrive.

“Third, even as the West continues to extricate itself from Africa militarily, we are lobbying our Western allies aggressively for partnership, investment, and support in other areas,’’ it added.

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