Babangida Expressed Confidence In Buhari’s Ability To Tackle Boko Haram

Disturbed by the increasing wave of the attacks, ex- Military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida who expressed confidence in the ability of Buhari to nail Boko
Haram’s coffin and that Nigeria can truly assume her greatness in the comity of nations, nevertheless, urged the President to hammer out new and effective ways of tackling the insurgency.

Since May 29, Boko Haram has unleashed an avalanche of suicide bombings and attacks on religious houses, markets and public places in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Plateau and Kaduna states among other places, destroying about 700 lives and property worth billions of Naira.

He also pleaded with Nigerians to unite against the terrorists and asked the media to shun sensational headlines and celebration of the sect’s killings.

The former president shared his thoughts via a Sallah message he titled: “Let us be strong and unite against insurgency.”

Within the last four weeks, according to him, the country has witnessed the worst of human follies in the conduct of these avoidable carnage and bloodletting by unscrupulous persons that operate under the guise of religion and wreaking havoc on Nigeria and Nigerians’ sense of nationality.

In the Sallah message, Babangida also called on President Buhari to ensure that the welfare of military personnel waging the anti-terror war are adequately taken care of to encourage soldiers, who would be assigned such responsibilities subsequently.

According to the former president, if President Buhari must overcome the insurgency, it has become imperative to device new ways of confronting members of Boko Haram without making public such new methods.

Noting that the Islamic religion he was born into 74 years ago preaches peace and encourages everyone to cooperate with one another he prayed that God should touch the hearts of the insurgents to end the bloodletting.

Babangida, who noted that if Nigeria was serious about the management of information on security issues, the story of taking some Boko Haram suspects and prisoners to Anambra State would not have been public knowledge, advised that headlines and lead stories that promote activities of the insurgents should be stopped.