PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has told the Niger Delta
Avengers (NDA), and similar groups in the region bombing oil and gas
installations, that Nigeria’s unity is not negotiable.
This is even as he informed those still in possession of public funds
to return them for them to enjoy peace, saying his administration will
not stop until all monies looted from the nation are recovered because
the country is in dire need of resources for development.
He spoke at the Presidential Villa when he received a delegation of
Abuja-based residents compromising Christians, Muslims as well as top
government officials led by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)
minister, Bello Muhammad, who came to pay the traditional Eid-el-Fitr
Sallah homage to him.
The militants had resumed hostilities after a few days respite,
demanding more share of oil revenue for the Niger Delta region. Their
activities had further crippled oil exports and reduced the country’s
external reserves.
The president recalled former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon’s
famous quote, “to keep Nigeria one is a task that must be done.”
Buhari said that after recording significant improvement in the war
against Boko Haram insurgents, the government was now trying to get the
leaders of the militant groups in the Niger Delta to stop their
hostilities as he would ensure the region gets justice according to
what the Constitution prescribes.
He said, “On security we have made a lot of improvement, boko haram,
militants there is improvement. We are now concentrating on the
militants to know how many of them exist in terms of groupings and
leadership and plead with them to try and give Nigeria a chance. I
assure them that the saying by Gen. Gowon that to keep Nigeria is a task
that must be done. In those days we never thought of oil, all our
concern was to keep Nigeria one. So please pass this to the militants,
that one Nigeria is not negotiable and they had better accept. Nigerian
constitution is clear as to what they should get and I assure them
there will be justice.
On his anti-corruption crusade, the president said “please tell those
with plenty of money that does not belong to them to try and negotiate
and return it in peace so that both they and us will be in peace,
otherwise, we will continue to look for it”.
The president acknowledged the myriad of socio-economic problems
Nigerians are battling with but promised that the Ministry of
Agriculture and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) were working together
to assist about 13 states produce enough rice to feed the nation.
“I know that there are a lot of problems in the country but is
fortunate the minister of agriculture is not here, he is working very
hard. The governor of Central Bank is helping him, borrowing him money
outside the budget so that he can assist states especially the 13 states
that can produce rice.
“That programmes is giving us confidence, it is getting the farmers into the field,” he said.
In his remarks, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, who noted that the
Ramadan fasting period had been a season of forgiveness, said the past
one year has been tough because of the mess left behind by former
president Goodluck Jonathan’s administration and that the current
government was engaged in some cleaning up which will soon yield result.
He said, “We have had a year that many in our country will say has
been a tough one and the reasons are very obvious. We have had clean up
to do, so much of trying to clear the major problems that were left
behind by the past administration in particular, the financial mess that
we inherited.
“We thank God that things are looking up and that things will be
better. There is no question about that, we have been elected and God
has helped us to be here at a time like this to be able to do the things
that are necessary to place our country on a strong footing and by His
grace we will do so”.
The Vice President also used the occasion to pray that the President
like the biblical Moses will enjoy strength as he grows older and the
tenacity to govern the nation.
“I also want to say short prayer, there is a scripture in the Bible
that says as your days are, so shall your strength be. That scripture
means that as you grow older you will be stronger. The Bible tells us
that Moses even at the age of 120 his sight was not dim and his natural
force was not diminished. So I pray that you Sir will experience this
strength and God will give you the tenacity as he had. The other meaning
of that scripture is that no matter the challenges that the day
brings, no matter the challenges that the time brings, you will have the
wisdom, favour and the strength to be victorious and pray that will so
for you and this government”.
The FCT Minister, who presented a giant Sallah card to the president,
assured him that Abuja residents would continue to cooperate with his
administration to translate his vision for Nigeria into reality in an
atmosphere of rule of law.
Among the prominent persons in the delegation were Secretary to the
Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal; CBN Governor, Godwin
Emefiele; Primate of the Church of Nigerian (Anglican Communion),
Archbishop Nicholas Okoh; Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadiq
Abubakar; National Security Adviser, Babagana Mongunu; Acting
Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris; Dr. Kabir Adam of the
National Mosque, Abuja, amongst others
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