Ekweremadu said the former President Goodluck Jonathan administration had almost
rolled back Boko Haram and its activities in the North-East.
The deputy senate president also expressed the fear the insurgents could also attack
Abuja and the southern part of the country soon.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja, he chose not to answer questions on his alleged
involvement in the forgery of senate rules but said he had been worried about the
renewed attacks by Boko Haram.
He said, “I am worried about the resurgence of Boko Haram activities in Nigeria. Shortly
before the inauguration of the present government, the country had almost rolled back
Boko Haram and its activities in every part of Nigeria – from Adamawa to Borno to
Yobe.
“I was hoping that when we come back in the 8th Assembly, that I will work with our
colleagues from the North-East to develop a plan of action that will help to rehabilitate
that part of Nigeria. I feel so concerned about the suffering of our people from the
North-East of Nigeria.
“I had hoped that by now we would be tasking ourselves on how best to rebuild that
part of Nigeria. Regrettably the actions of Boko Haram seem to have resurfaced now;
not only in Borno, they have carried out their activities also in Plateau, they have gone to
Adamawa and Kaduna.
“I am worried that if nothing is done, the next target would be Abuja. Maybe they will
start going to the South. It is important for us as those in government, whether
executive or legislature, to come together to find solutions to these problems.”
He therefore appealed to Nigeria’s neighbouring countries and the international
community to support the country to roll back the activities of Boko Haram, stressing
that there was no way the nation could achieve progress in the country without peace.
He said the Buhari administration should, as a matter of urgency, “deal with this security
challenge no matter what it would cost us.”
He also called for collaboration between the executive and the legislature in order to
deal with the scourge.
“We must be on the same page on this matter. I believe that it is time for us to have
meetings with the executive as well as the security agencies in order to find out exactly
what has happened – why the resurgence of these Boko Haram activities and what we
can do as a people to ensure that this matter is dealt with decisively,” Ekweremadu
said.
He expressed sympathy with the Boko Haram’s victims and called for an immediate
action to stop the menace.
He said, “We believe our President would sit on top of this situation because we believe
that Nigerians are worried about this situation and they would like to see an end to Boko
Haram activities.
“We would like to do everything to encourage our President, to support him and bring
this situation to an end so that we would be able to have peace within this area – the
North-East of Nigeria and indeed all parts of Nigeria.
“Whatever has caused this insurgence, we need to address it and aggressively too
before it gets too late. I am very worried about the situation. I do hope that we would
be able to work together to find solution to this and come to the end of this Boko
Haram activities.
“It is not giving us any good image, it is damaging our reputation all over the world, it is
damaging our lives, and it is damaging our properties. It has disoriented our brothers
and sisters in the North-East.
“The education sector has suffered there, even the economy of the place has suffered
so much, and our brothers and sisters from other part of the country that lived there
have since left the place. It is a big challenge we must all come together to deal with.”
The deputy senate president, nevertheless, expressed the hope that the nation would
overcome the challenge.
“I will like to assure our friends and the international community that the challenge,
though enormous, is not beyond our control,” he said.
In reaction, the Presidency said Ekweremadu was entitled to his opinion.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, said this
in an interview with one of our correspondents.
Adesina said the fact that the deputy president of the Senate made such statement did
not make it right.
“Senator Ekweremadu is entitled to his opinion. That however does not mean that he is
right,” the presidential spokesman said.
Meanwhile, the United States has said that defeating Boko Haram requires a
comprehensive approach.
The US Deputy Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, at a press conference on Thursday
in Abuja, assured Nigeria of America’s support “as Nigeria develops this comprehensive
approach.”
Blinken stated that rescuing the abducted Chibok schoolgirls remained one of US
priorities.
He said, “Defeating Boko Haram requires a comprehensive approach that involves the
region and includes not only a strong military response, but also sustainable security for
liberated areas, good governance, development, and opportunity for the civilian
population.
“It also requires a strong commitment to human rights, the absence of which only
alienates the people and drives them toward Boko Haram. As Nigeria develops this
comprehensive approach, the United States will deepen our support.”
The deputy secretary of state said the US had been assisting Nigeria by providing
training, equipment, advice, information, intelligence sharing and logistic support, adding
that America recently donated $40m to the global security fund as part of the moves to
promote joint efforts with the Lake Chad countries to strengthen cross-border security,
cooperation and capacity to combat Boko Haram.
Also, Blinken stated that the US government, as part of the support package, released
$5m to the Multinational Joint Task Force to strengthen the fight against the insurgents.
He assured that his country would begin training for investigators and training on border
security, post-blast investigation and crisis management.
Blinken said, “I know there are many more young girls and women who are missing, our
focus is on them as well. We will continue to provide assistance to the government in
an attempt to look for them, find them and bring them home.”
Via Punch
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