“No savings, what did we do with billions of dollars, thieves recruited militants against us, we lose millions of barrels per day” - Buhari

While speaking in New York when he hosted Nigerian professionals based in the United States of America on Friday, President Muhammadu Buhari blamed corrupt Nigerian politicians for the resurgence of militancy in the Niger Delta.

President Muhammadu Buhari who has been in New York for the United Nations Assembly event, has blamed corrupt politicians for the resurgence of militancy in the Niger Delta.

The president said further that it was obvious that those who fritted away the nation’s resources were determined to sabotage the current administration, adding that the problems confronting the country were as a result of the inability to “save for the rainy day”.

“We got into trouble as a country, because we did not save for the rainy day. For example, between 1999 and 2015, when we produced an average of 2.1 million barrels of oil per day, and oil prices stood at an average of $100 per barrel, we did not save, neither did we develop infrastructure. Suddenly, when we came in 2015, oil prices fell to about 30 dollars per barrel.

“I asked; where are the savings? There were none. Where are the railways? The roads? Power? None. I further asked; what did we do with billions of dollars that we made over the years? They said we bought food. Food with billions of dollars? I did not believe, and still do not believe.

“In most parts of Nigeria, we eat what we grow. People in the south eat tubers, those in the north eat grains, which they plant, and those constitute over 60 per cent of what we eat. So, where did the billions of dollars go? We did a lot of damage to ourselves by not developing infrastructure when we had the money.

“Those who stole Nigeria dry are not happy. They recruited the militants against us in the Niger Delta, and began to sabotage oil infrastructure. We lose millions of barrels per day, at a time when every dollar we can earn, counts. It is a disgrace that a minimum of 27 states, out of 36 that we have in Nigeria, can’t pay salaries,” he said.