Buhari’s Spokesman Insists Nigeria Making ‘Enormous Progress’ against Terrorists

A spokesman to the Nigerian president claims that enormous progress has been made in minimizing the threat of terrorism, especially in major cities which were previously vulnerable to attacks.

Garba Shehu, the senior special assistant on media and publicity to Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari said Thursday on Arise News that under Buhari’s leadership, Boko Haram terrorists who hitherto, laid siege to large swathes of Nigeria’s Northeast region, have been reduced to operating on the fringes of society.

This, in spite of the fact that in the past week, suspected Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) insurgents launched attacks on Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum, with at least 30 casualties.

“It is sad and unfortunate that Governor Zulum has fallen victim to this sort of attack,” Shehu said. “It’s also a statement on the change that has happened with the security challenge that the country faces. That Boko Haram which had wielded so much strength in the past, (and) was able to control a big slice of this country’s territory, had been reduced to this kind of tactics. So it tells you we have made enormous progress in the threat of terrorism in the country.”

Shehu said President Buhari inherited a nation in the throes of terrorism when he took office in 2015, but has since proven competent in tackling insurgency in the country.

“The thing is to be fair to this government and the way to judge it is, how is the government responding to the challenges as they arise? And the government has shown a great deal of capability and competence in surmounting the challenges as they arise.”

By Rita Osakwe

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