Buhari to reorganise security apparatus and personnel in the New Year

01 Jan Buhari to reorganise security apparatus and personnel in the New Year

President Muhammadu Buhari, in his New Year broadcast to Nigerians this morning, promised that his administration would not abdicate its responsibility to make the country safe for its people.

Accordingly, re-energising and reorganisng the security system would be done with the overall intention to enhance their capacity and consequently dismantle the operations of terrorists and other criminal elements terrorising the country.

It will involve re-energising and reorganising Nigeria’s security apparatus as well as the personnel of both the armed forces and the police in the New Year, as part of his administration’s commitment to battling the security crisis facing the country.

Buhari said the rapid collaboration of security forces, which led to the rescue of the 344 pupils of Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State, last month, showed that the country has the internal capacity to effectively battle terrorism.

He expressed the necessity to be more proactive in handling security issues by being pre-emptive and consequently avert repeats of such situations which he said could be traumatic to victims.

He said: “Some of the key priority areas we would direct our attention and strengths to include: re-energising and reorganising the security apparatus and personnel of the armed forces and the police with a view to enhance their capacity to engage, push back and dismantle the operations of both internal and external extremist and criminal groups waging war against our communities in some parts of the country.

“In line with the current security challenges, we are facing as a nation, I would like to reiterate the promise I made recently when over 300 of our boys abducted from Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, were successfully rescued by our security operatives.

“The professionalism shown by our security forces and the collaboration from all stakeholders across both state and federal governments that led to the successful rescue of the boys is proof that Nigeria has the internal capacity to decisively deal with terror attacks on our citizens.

“However, we recognise that we rapidly have to move to a more proactive and preemptive posture to ensure that these sorts of traumatic incidents do not become a norm. Our administration is fully aware of the responsibility we have to protect the lives and property of all Nigerians, and we will not relent in learning and adapting to changing threats to our national security and civic wellbeing.”

Buhari, who thanked God for seeing the country through the various challenges of the year caused by COVID-19 pandemic, said what befell Nigeria did not happen in isolation but also affected other countries of the world.

He described the outgone year as a tough one that tested national resilience and the ability to survive tough times.

Buhari recalled that Nigeria marked 60 years of independence last year, a situation he said called for gratitude.

He stated that whereas some countries expected Nigeria to break up within a few years, it has survived for over 60 years.

Buhari also recalled the #EndSARS protests last October, saying the youths meant well and their five demands would be fully met.

He said, “While acknowledging that 2020 was a very tough year, we saw this year put to test our national resilience and ability to survive these tough times and also gave renewed hope that we will again brave any storms that lay ahead in 2021 and beyond.

“As we celebrate the opportunity before us in this New Year 2021, we must also acknowledge the passing away of our brothers and sisters who didn’t make it into this New Year. May their souls rest in perfect peace.

“We must remember that we also celebrated the historic occasion of our 60 years as an independent and sovereign country on October 1st, 2020. In the spirit of hope and gratitude, I would like to remind us again that as a country on the difficult journey to nationhood and greatness, we have confounded the many pundits at home and around the world who never gave the newly-born country that emerged unto the world stage on 1st October 1960 a chance of surviving much longer than a few years.

“Yet, here we are, 61 years by the next anniversary in October, and not only are we here, we are standing tall in the comity of nations as one country united under the will of God and also actively growing that indivisible Nigerian spirit that has enabled us, year after year, decade after decade, to weather all stormy waters and emerge stronger and better where others have fallen and disintegrated. This nation, this Nigeria, will survive and thrive.

He described the youth as the country’s “most valuable natural resource, at home and abroad,” adding that “their ingenuity, creativity, innovation and entrepreneurial spirit is evident to all,” and many of them “are excelling in various spheres of life including sports, entertainment, information and communication technology, commerce and are globally recognised as achievers.”

The president said in the government’s efforts to explore the creative energies of the youth, the government would “partner with the legislature to develop an enabling environment to turn their passions into ideas that can be supported, groomed and scaled across regions.”

On the economy, he said federal government will concentrate on revamping it through its national economic diversification agenda that will support national food self-sufficiency, an initiative that had helped to reduce the escalating food inflation “and have in considerable measure positively impacted our food security status during the long months of the pandemic lockdown.”

He also highlighted what he described as his administration’s infrastructure building efforts to include construction of roads and rail.

“With the recent opening of our borders, we expect that the pent-up demand of legitimate cross-border and international trade will boost the fortunes of the many small businesses and agricultural enterprises that depend on Nigeria’s trade and commerce,” he stated.

On anti-corruption war, he said some successes had been recorded and the government would sustain the fight in 2021 by collaborating with other arms of government to get combat graft.

While pledging the government’s resolve to work with the National Assembly to review some laws that would aid anti-corruption fight, Buhari said efforts would be made for diligent prosecution of suspects.

He, however, pleaded with the judiciary to ensure speedy prosecution of corruption cases.

He said perpetual violence in various parts of the country by Boko Haram insurgents and other criminal groups had hampered government’s effort to embrace social policy and quality investment in citizens.

But he pleaded for understanding, considering the poor resources he met in 2015.

He said: “In parts of the country where chronic poverty, social exclusion and disillusionment among sections of the youth were already a problem, the cycles of violence that have been unleashed by mindless groups like Boko Haram and others have thwarted the efforts of government to undertake the social policy and associated investments that could make a huge difference in the quality of life of our citizens.

“I am aware that for some of our compatriots, the progress we have registered since the inception of this administration is not nearly as fast or as sufficient as they would wish. I do not begrudge them their views in so far as they signify a wish, in which we all share, for only the very best for our country.

“Nevertheless, I call upon all Nigerians to carefully recall the circumstances of our coming to office, the facts on the ground and the resources at our disposal since 2015 with the accomplishments of this administration.”

On the fight against COVID-19, Buhari stated that the country had shown resilience in the face of challenges posed by the pandemic and it is finalising plans to purchase COVID-19 vaccines and effectively distribute them.

He urged Nigerians to strictly abide by COVID-19 advisories to prevent further spread.

He said as the president, he would play his part well, and implored others to do same. “As your elected president, my pledge to you is the same as it has always been; I will play my part fully and without fear or favour. I invite all of us to do the same. It is what we owe to the founding generation of our beloved country and also to the coming generation. It is what we desire for national prosperity for all demands,” he said.