Arewa Forum, Others Blow Hot As President Buhari Declares Borno, Yobe Is Now Safe

Two socio-political groups; the Arewa Consultative Forum and the Middle Belt Forum have expressed anger over the claim by President Muhammadu Buhari that peace and stability have been restored in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states.

Also, the Coalition of Northern Groups described the President’s claim as uncouth lies and added that Nigerians had lost confidence in the Buhari and his men to tell the truth.

The three states are known to be among the northern states that have been devastated by terrorist groups, including Boko Haram.

President Buhari had on Thursday commended the nation’s security forces, saying they succeeded in restoring stability in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, in a statement, quoted Buhari as speaking at the induction and inauguration of newly acquired NAF MI-171E helicopter, two reactivated Alpha Jets and one L39ZA aircraft, all belonging to the Nigerian Air Force.

The statement was titled, ‘We remain unyielding in confronting insurgency and other criminality, says President Buhari as he commissions new Air Force helicopter’.

Shehu quoted the President as commending the security forces for successes recorded so far especially by restoring “some level of stability not only in Borno and Yobe states but also in Adamawa State.”

He said the President noted that his regime had boosted the capacity of the Nigerian Air Force by 23 brand new aircraft in recent times with more still on the way.

The President said, “These 23 new aircraft are aside the 15 additional aircraft, including 12 Super Tucano aircraft from the United States of America and 3 JF-17 Thunder Multi-Role Fighter aircraft from Pakistan that have been procured and will soon be delivered.”

The Nigerian leader said he had released two Agusta 101 helicopters from the Presidential Air Fleet to the Nigerian Air Force to improve its tactical lift capability.

Claim at variance with reality, says MBF

Reacting, the National President of the Middle Belt Forum, Dr Bitrus Porgu, asked Mr President where and how he achieved the stability in the affected areas

Porgu, who spoke with   in Jos, maintained that the reality on the ground in Borno with regard to security situation was at variance with Buhari’s position.

The Middle Belt leader recounted many incidents of killings, abductions and attacks by Boko Haram, which occurred in Borno communities in recent times, including Chibok, Michika, Gwoza, Askira, Maiduguri-Damaturu road, among others.

Porgu said, “Boko Haram has been killing people in these areas nearly every day. Up till now, many people in Gwoza and Michika, who ran for their safety to Cameroun, have yet to return to their ancestral homes due to the presence of Boko Haram.”