Femi Adesina, special adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity has argued that Nigeria may have been wiped off the face of the map by Boko Haram terrorists if not for his principal.
In an article titled, ‘From N’east With Good Tidings’ and shared on his official Facebook page on Thursday, Adesina described Buhari as the saviour who kept Nigeria together in the face of massive insecurity.
He added that the President led the charge, and pushed the insurgents back, till they are now almost totally extinguished.
According to Adesina, the people of North East now have good stories to tell about how much his principal and security agencies have been defeated.
He said, “Who feels it knows it all. Perhaps the region most affected by the insurgency that almost strangulated the country since 2009 is the North East. It was there that Boko Haram started, proliferated, and spread to other parts of the land.
“I was in two States in the region early this week, joining President Muhammadu Buhari to take part in campaigns of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the forthcoming general elections.
“First port of call was Adamawa on Monday, leaving later in the day for Yobe, where we stayed the night, and spent most part of Tuesday. And what did we hear at every stop? Plaudits, accolades, commendation for the President on the much improved security situation in the region.
“There are some people hellbent on giving us a siege mentality of insecurity in the country. They have deliberately refused to look at the brighter side of things, and all you hear from them is ‘worsening insecurity.’ That’s all they say on TV, radio, on social media, in newspapers, from the pulpits, mosques, anywhere, everywhere.
“They deliberately make it seem that the only thing happening in Nigeria is insecurity, they keep trumpeting it daily, even when confronted by vast improvements. They are soused and marooned in scaremongering.
“But who feels it knows it. Ask people in the North East, and they will have stories to tell you, of how their very homes, schools, hospitals, local government headquarters, palaces of emirs, had been seized by insurgents, who were calling the shots from those places. And how a certain battle-tested retired General Buhari came, took the war to the army of occupation, and flushed them out.
“One of the most poignant stories we heard during the trip was at the palace of the Emir of Damaturu, Hashimi 11 El Kanemi. Governor Mai Mala Buni recounted how the palace was overrun by insurgents, and everybody ran for dear lives.
“Who feels it knows it all. Ask people of the North East, and they will tell you what the administration of President Buhari has done for them in the area of security. And merchants of ‘worsening insecurity’ will be ashamed, if they would listen.
“The truth is that if we hadn’t had a person like Buhari in 2015, Nigeria may have been wiped off the face of the map by now. There was encircling doom and gloom round the country then, and we would all have been done for. But the President led the charge, and pushed the insurgents back, till they are now almost totally extinguished. Extirpated.
“It was not an easy war. Yes, the country was at war. And as if that was not terrible enough, other heinous security challenges joined. Banditry, kidnapping, cult killings, cattle rustling, farmers/herders clashes, secessionist bids, and many others. The country became one huge killing field, but the government and our security agencies tackled them all.
“How much trouble can a government have? The administration was beleaguered, hard-pressed, but it rose to the challenges. Today, though the challenges are not totally eradicated, the security situation is a lot better. And the glory must go to God, while we also appreciate our President and the security agencies.
“In Yobe, the President commissioned a number of legacy projects. Damaturu Modern Market. Newly constructed police command headquarters. Yobe State Teaching Hospital. Housing estate. Mega school. And many others. In Yobe State, which used to be the playground of Boko Haram? But they are now flushed out, and the people have regained their lives. Yet, some people sit somewhere, in air conditioned studios and newsrooms, talking of ‘worsening insecurity.
“That is the summary of the security situation in not just the North East, but in a large part of the country. The job is not fully done yet, but we will get there, and soon too. Let those who are cynical remain cynical still. Let those who are skeptical remain skeptical still. And the unbelieving, let them remain unbelieving still. But right before their faces, not long hence, Nigeria will be fully and totally recovered. Where will they then hide their faces?
“We thank President Buhari, our security forces, our resolute countrymen and women. Blessed are those who have believed, for there shall be a performance of the things promised them.”