Buhari decries worsening security situation

President Muhammadu Buhari, on Friday, decried the worsening security situation in the country.

Buhari, who assessed the state of security in the country, described the situation, particularly in the North West and the North Central parts of the country as “very disturbing.”

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Buhari also spoke on the current probes into the activities of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

President Buhari made remarks on the two agencies for the first time while speaking to Nigerians shortly after performing the Eid prayers with his family and aides at the forecourt of the State House, Abuja.

He said that, while much had been achieved from the security situation he inherited in 2015, more still needed to be done.

“Nigerians know that we have done our best.

“However, what is coming out of the North West and the North Central is very disturbing,” he added.

He told service chiefs that they could do much better despite the fact that the military, the police and other security agencies are currently working hard.

Buhari assured that there would be more resources for the country’s military, police and other security agencies to deal with the unwanted security situation in some areas of the country.

“We are making available resources to them to even do better….from the reports I am getting, they could do much better…they could do much better.

“But we are keeping them on the alert all the time to do their duties,” the President said.

Corruption in EFCC, NDDC

Buhari, while speaking on the issue of corruption, said that all past and present cases will be fully investigated.

“This is why we put the commission (of investigation) in place.

“There has been abuse of trust by people trusted by the previous administration and this administration,” he said.

He stressed that all of such cases would be uncovered and firmly dealt with by his government.

The President, while making remarks on the specific case of the Niger Delta, decried the wastage of the resources earmarked for the betterment of the lives of the people of that region.

He said that corruption had been unhelpful in that regard, especially “if you recall there is the 13 per cent derivation.”

The suspended EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Magu, is currently appearing before Justice Ayo Salami-led presidential panel, investigating corruption allegations against him, following petition the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami.

Malami’s memo allegedly accused Magu of diversion of recovered loot.

The memo was said to contain 22 allegations against the embattled EFCC chairman.

On the other hand, President Buhari had, in October, 2019, ordered a forensic audit of the operations of the NDDC from 2001 to 2019, following persistent criticisms of the operations of the organisation.

The President gave the order at the State House, Abuja, when he received governors of the states that make up the commission, led by former Governor of Bayelsa State Seriake Dickson.

He said what is presently on the ground in the South-south region did not justify the huge resources that had been made available to the organisation.

“I try to follow the Act setting up these institutions, especially the NDDC.

“With the amount of money that the Federal Government has religiously allocated to the NDDC, we will like to see the results on the ground; those that are responsible for that have to explain certain issues,” he said.

The National Assembly has also investigated the activities of the past and present leadership of the NDDC Interim Management Committee (IMC), following allegations of corruption.

The National Assembly has since made its recommendations to Buhari.

Vandalism of oil facilities not helpful

He also cautioned against the vandalism of oil pipelines in the oil- producing areas which often results in environmental pollution.

“Those who are blowing pipelines and interfering with the production of petroleum products are hurting their people more than the rest of Nigerians because majority of their people are fishermen, fisherwomen and farmers.

“Now, if they pollute the land and the waters, the fish goes into the deeper sea where the people cannot go and they cannot grow anything.

“They are hurting their immediate communities more than any other thing,” he said in a statement issued by his spokesman, Garba Shehu.