Security Has Improved Under Buhari, Presidency Faults Sultan

The presidency has faulted claims by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, on the country’s security situation.

The Sultan had said at a recent forum that northern part of the country has been taken over by bandits and terrorists.

But the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Mr. Femi Adesina, who appeared on a Channels Television programme, “Sunday Politics,” however, disagreed with the monarch on the matter.

He insisted that security in the North and other parts of Nigeria has improved under Buhari.

Asked to comment on the Sultan’s claim, Adesina said the president has been able to tackle insecurity in the country perfectly.

He added that the recent comments by the Borno State governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum, commending Buhari on the handling of security in the State is a testament to the fact that the president has done well in the area of security.

Asked again to speak on failure by the Buhari administration to tackle insecurity, the presidential aide said: “You are using that failure too broadly. You don’t take one, two, or three events and then you conclude that it is all failure.

“You will get to some other parts of the North and they will tell you that things are a lot better. “Even Governor Zulum who is in Borno State, which is like the epicentre of the insurgency, will tell you that the situation in that state is far better than it was in 2015.

“Nigerians should judge President Buhari based on what he met on the ground and not just his promises.

“We can all recall that when the President took over in 2015, several local government areas were under Boko Haram occupation but things have improved drastically.”

On whether there were consequences for lapses in security last year, he added: “What did the government meet? 17 local governments under full occupation by Boko Haram, emirs had fled their palaces, roads had been locked, and NYSC orientation camps were not open in many states in the country. But look at the situation in the country today. It is a lot better.”

Adesina also argued that President Buhari could not deliver on many of his promises in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic that ravaged the country, saying that despite the challenges, the president still achieved a lot.

“You know 2020 will not be the real benchmark year for most of these things because a lot of the things promised could not also be actualised to the letter because from March, the country, indeed the world was on suspended animation.

“There were lockdowns everywhere and it lasted till the last quarter of that year.

“So, 2020 will not be a good benchmark but it is to the advantage of this government that most of the things promised were not accomplished 100 percent but a good number of them were accomplished despite low earnings and despite the economy not functioning at full throttle,” he concluded.