Empower police to deal with Boko Haram – Buhari
Presidential
Candidate for the Congress for Progressive Change in the 2011
elections, Maj-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), has asked the Federal
Government to empower the police to deal with the Boko Haram insurgency.
Buhari spoke on the
sidelines of the presentation of a book titled, ‘How I governed Anambra
State: Stewardship & Accountability’ in Abuja, on Thursday.
The book was written by a former governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chinwoke Mbadinuju.
Also at this event, an
All Nigeria Peoples Party stalwart, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezife, said Nigeria
and Nigerians had become unpopular because “we have killed our
conscience.”
Buhari said, “The
bombings have subsided. It’s up to the law enforcement agents. This is
probably the problem of the police. You know, they (Police and SSS) have
to secure the country. Constitutionally it’s their job
“Boko Haram as I said, I would rather that the police should be empowered.
“It’s the police that
live with the people- they know in every police command- the
neighborhood and so on. A lot of the responsibility I think should go to
the police.”
The one time military dictator also decried the poor state of the nation’s education system.
Buhari said, “Our
education has virtually collapsed. How many libraries do we have in the
states not to talk about the local governments? People can’t afford to
buy books.
“Education has
deteriorated. If you look around the country, how many people are
getting good credits in English language which is the official
(language) in the country?”
Buhari commended the author for taking off time to put his experiences in writing.
He, however, disagreed with the author’s postulations that our problems lie with followership and not the leadership.
Earlier, Dr. Chukwuemeka Eziefe said it was in the interest of us all that Nigeria survives.
He said, “It is in the
interest of all that Nigeria survives. As the largest country in Africa,
we have, the destiny to be the greatest. No Boko Haram can stop it.”
Author of the book, Dr. Chinwoke
Mbadinuju, seized the opportunity to dispel the long held belief that
schools in Anambra State were closed for one year during his
administration.
