Worried by the rising wave of insecurity in the country, President Bola Tinubu said, yesterday, he would not rest until all vestiges of darkness such as Boko Haram terrorists, Ansaru militants, bandits and kidnapping gangs were stamped out.
The President’s vow is coming at the heels of the renewed upsurge of terrorist attacks, banditry and kidnapping in different parts of the country, and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja
Consequently, President Tinubu also had a meeting with service chiefs at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Tinubu who departed Transcorp Hilton, where he attended a book launch on his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, met the service chiefs, led by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa.
Others in attendance at the meeting included the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Taoreed Lagbaja, Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogala, Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar and Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.
Heads of other security agencies were also at the meeting.
Though the agenda of the meeting was not revealed, it was however gathered that it was in connection with the President’s concern over the growing cases of banditry and kidnapping in the nation’s capital and other parts of the country.
Like the president, many stakeholders proffered suggestions on how to combat insecurity, yesterday, with the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, meeting tactical squad and task force commanders, and ordering the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Operations, to co-ordinate up-scaled operations against criminality.
Similarly, Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Minister, Mr. Nyesom Wike, equally summoned an emergency security council meeting, and read riot acts to area council chairmen, even as he assured Abuja residents that the government was not sleeping and that help was on the way.
This was as Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, decried the resurgence of attacks on the Abuja-Kaduna highway, with Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, tasking the federal government on creation of state police, saying the failure to use BVN and NIN to track terrorists and kidnappers was an indictment on the security agencies.
Also, the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, said it would launch vigilance groups to boost the fight against insecurity in Nasarawa State.
Speaking as the special guest of honour at the launch of “Working with Buhari: Reflections of a Special Adviser Media and Publicity (2015—2023),” a book authored by Femi Adesina and “Muhammadu Buhari: The Nigerian Legacy (2015—2023), a compilation of about one hundred contributors edited by Dr. Udu Yakubu, President Tinubu said he inherited both assets and liabilities from his predecessor.
Describing the gathering as a reunion with his immediate predecessor, Tinubu noted that Buhari left many battles and a bunch of tasks for continuity when he quit power on May 29, 2023. “I told people I inherited the assets and liabilities of my predecessor, no matter what you say,” the President said.
Addressing the former President, Tinubu said: “Welcome to Abuja. Since you passed the baton to me, I’ve seen many of your jokes and I’ve realized it’s not just a walk in the park.
“Let me thank the organizers of today’s book launch for providing me the opportunity and the ambience to reunite with my predecessor, former President Muhammadu Buhari, since he left office on May 29 2023.
“After handing over, you said ‘I will be far away in Daura but if you need me, contact me’. But I won’t intrude in whatever you are doing. I won’t interfere or breathe down your throat. We’ve partnered to make democracy flourish in Nigeria.
“President Buhari, thank you. Except when I call you to ask how are you living. How are you on the farm? We don’t hear from you either to nominate or intrude in the cabinet or complain about anything. Thank you for being who you are.
“When you left office, you left many battles and a bunch of tasks for me to continue. And I told people I inherited the assets and liabilities of my predecessor no matter what you say.
“We always joke sometimes, and you say you can never please Nigerians but yours is to focus, work hard and satisfy your conscience. You have done that. It is reflected.” President Tinubu noted his predecessor served the country with dedication and uncommon zeal, saying
“I was talking to somebody last night that I will be at this book launch and he said oh, I remember you sold Buhari to us. And I said, stop where you are? I’m not talking to you about a disclaimer. I’m talking to you about a programme that I really appreciated and will continue to appreciate. Being here face-to-face with you is a great documentation of history, candour, integrity and character.”
He said the authors of the books might have done their best, but noted that what Nigeria would gain from the books was what history must do, adding that history was in the books.
‘’I’m glad history has been reintroduced and it is part of the curriculum in various schools and it will be emphasized, I promise you,” he assured.
Continuing, he said: “You (Buhari) assumed office at a very difficult time in our nation’s life. The economy was going into recession. Boko Haram had taken over so many local governments and some parts of our country. It is easy to forget that the United Nations building was attacked here in Abuja.
“It’s easy to forget the role of the armed forces. But if the book is carefully read and taught in terms of substance in our various schools, the job of securing every inch of our nation may not be completed but you did a wonderful job and we will not rest, I promise you, until every agent of darkness is completely eliminated. It’s a sovereign country.”
Tinubu expressed joy over Buhari’s commitment to supporting his administration, stressing that as a real politician and a democrat that he was, he was still dedicated and committed to the All Progressives Congress, APC, which he described as the largest party in Africa.