In this short video, President Muhammadu Buhari took a swipe at those criticising him on the insecurity situation in the country, saying that they were not patriotic.
He didn’t mention former Nigeria’s president Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, but it was obvious he’s referring to him considering an open letter addressed to him by the former president.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo had on Monday, January 15, 2019 written an open letter to Buhari accusing him of not doing enough to tackle the increasing rate of insecurity in the country among other challenges.
But receiving the National Executives of the Buhari Campaign Organisation, BCO, at the Presidential Villa Abuja, the President said that those criticising the isolated cases of insecurity in the country were not patriotic Nigerians.
According to him, countries around the world were facing one security challenges or the other.
He also pointed out that there were new challenges of banditry and kidnapping around the globe.
Part of the text of Obasanjo’s open letter to Buhari
For over ten years, for four of which you have been the captain of the ship, Boko Haram has menacingly ravaged the land and in spite of government’s claim of victory over Boko Haram, the potency and the activities of Boko Haram, where they are active, remain undiminished, putting lie to government’s claim.
The recent explanation of the Chief of Army Staff for non-victory due to lack of commitment and lack of motivation on the part of troops bordering on sabotage speaks for itself.
Say what you will, Boko Haram is still a daily issue of insecurity for those who are victimised, killed, maimed, kidnapped, raped, sold into slavery and forced into marriage and for children forcibly recruited into carrying bombs on them to detonate among crowds of people to cause maximum destructions and damage.
And Boko Haram will not go away on the basis of sticks alone, carrots must overweigh sticks. How else do you deal with issues such as only about 50% literacy in North-East with over 70% unemployment?
Herdsmen/farmers crises and menace started with government treating the issue with cuddling glove instead of hammer. It has festered and spread. Today, it has developed into banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery and killings all over the country.
The unfortunate situation is that the criminality is being perceived as a ‘Fulani’ menace unleashed by Fulani elite in the different parts of the country for a number of reasons but even more, unfortunately, many Nigerians and non-Nigerians who are friends of Nigeria attach vicarious responsibility to you as a Fulani elite and the current captain of the Nigeria ship.
Perception may be as potent as reality at times. Whatever may be the grievances of Fulanis, if any, they need to be put out in the open and their grievances, if legitimate, be addressed; and if other ethnic groups have grievances, let them also be brought out in the open and addressed through debate and dialogue.
