By Aminu Kutama
President Muhammadu Buhari has applauded the efforts of state governors in the fight against Boko Haram insurgents and other terrorist elements in the country.
Buhari made the remark on Tuesday during a meeting with Southeast leaders in Owerri, the Imo State capital.
Buhari who claimed Nigerian elites were not judging his administration fairly said his government has succeeded in reclaiming some local government areas from the hands of the insurgents, stressing that the federal government is now in charge.
He also said despite earning so much from crude oil, his predecessors failed to develop the country’s infrastructure.
“To be frank with you, I blame the Nigerian elite for not thinking hard about our country,” the President commented.
“Between 1999 and 2015 when we came in, I will like people to check the Central Bank and the NNPC, the average production was 2.1million bpd. Nigeria was earning at this time 2.1million times but look at the state of infrastructure, look at the road and look at the railway, it was virtually killed. Power, we are still struggling.
“But when we came, unfortunately, the militants were unleashed, production went down to half a million bpd. Again, unfortunately, the cost of petroleum went down from $28 to $37,” Buhari added.
He further said before he came into office in May 2015, Boko Haram terrorists controlled local governments in Borno State but that has become a thing of the past.
“Look at the problem in the North-East, check with anybody from Borno or Adamawa, how many local governments were in the hands of the government and how many were in the hands of Boko Haram? Fraudulent people, whoever they are, are fraudulent! But now, go and ask the hardworking governor of Borno State, a very hardworking governor. Federal Government is in charge now.”
“In terms of time and resources, this administration has done extremely well. I have to say it because those who are supposed to say are not saying it. I don’t know why,” the President said.
