On Wednesday, President Muhammadu Buhari referred to the Boko Haram organization and its associated philosophy as a “fraudulent scheme” intended to “destroy Nigeria” and decried Western education.
Buhari’s remarks came just 48 hours after he claimed there was a “deliberate plot” to destroy the nation, which didn’t work.
The Boko Haram sect, also known as Jam’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’wah wa’l-Jihd, is an Islamic terrorist group that has been causing havoc in northern Nigeria since 2009.
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Boko Haram, which means “Western Education is forbidden” in Arabic, opposes participation in all facets of secularism, including secular education.
Buhari claims that after 2015, the Nigerian Armed Forces have greatly deteriorated the sect.
“I recently returned from the states of Adamawa and Yobe. I paid close attention to what the residents and government representatives had to say while I was in both states. And they all said that things had changed for the better since 2015, particularly in Borno State.
“Boko Haram was nothing more than a scam and a scheme to destroy Nigeria. At the State House in Abuja, where he was receiving Executive members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, he stated, “You can’t say people shouldn’t learn; the people need to progress intellectually.
This information was provided by Femi Adesina, the President’s Special Advisor on Media and Publicity, in a statement he released on Wednesday under the heading “Count on us to further strengthen security and reposition the economy before leaving office, President Buhari assures.”
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The northeast’s infrastructure needs to be rebuilt, and the government is focussing on education, Buhari told the clergymen.
Before leaving office on May 29, 2023, he further committed to consolidating the security gains already made and paying closer attention to the economy.
“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,’’ he said.
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Buhari stressed that terrorists had no authority over any space in Nigeria while stating that the government will continue to rehabilitate infrastructure in areas of the nation hit by terrorist assaults.
“Some people have acknowledged the difference,’’ he added.
Regarding the economy, the President claimed that lenders had complete faith in Nigeria’s ability to make use of available resources and recoup debts even before approvals were given.
“We are credible, that’s why the countries and institutions agreed to support our development with the loans,’’ he stated.
He bemoaned the fact that the damage of oil infrastructure reduced income production and that saboteurs would face harsher punishment from the government.
He claimed that some of the difficulties Nigeria has endured in the past, such as coups, countercoups, and civil war, had equipped Nigeria for survival.
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“If you look at the economy, we are trying hard to rely more on ourselves. Nigerians rely more on agriculture for livelihood, and we are putting in our best to enable more people, and diversify.”
“We thank God that Nigeria is still one,’’ he said. “We should not forget that more than a million died for the nation to survive,” he noted.
Lucius Ugorji, the head of the delegation and president of the CBCN, praised the President in his speech for the stable and fair election system improvements he had made, particularly the passage of the Electoral Bill into law.
In order to guarantee legitimate elections in February and March, Ugorji pleaded with the President to insist on the Independent National Electoral Commission.
“Please do not relent in making sure that INEC and other relevant agencies of government carry out their serious duties to conduct peaceful, free, fair, and credible elections,’’ he said.
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Ugorji asked the President to make most of his remaining time as Commander-in-Chief to address national security issues and boost the economy.
“The main crux of our message to you today is one of fervent appeal and strong encouragement. Your tenure of two terms as President, Commander-In-Chief of Nigeria, is drawing to an end. But we believe a lot can be done to turn things around for the better in the about four months left of your presidency before you step down in May 2023,’’ the cleric noted.
The Catholic Bishops gave President Buhari a memento that included a letter of support and prayers for the upcoming elections.
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