Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina has said that those who accuse President Muhammadu Buhari of double standards in handling the security challenges in the country do so out of either “deliberate ignorance, mischief, or pure hatred”.
The presidential spokesman stated this in the latest installment of his weekly column: “From The Inside…Fridays with Femi Adesina”.
The president’s critics have often accused him of dealing with secessionist or criminal activities in the South with an iron fist while soft-pedaling when Fulani herdsmen, bandits, or terrorists in the North are concerned.
However, Adesina denied the allegation of bias levelled against the president.
“It amazes, even confounds, to hear some people say President Muhammadu Buhari should go after Boko Haram terrorists and bandits with the same gusto he has displayed against separatists in the country.
“Amazing and confounding because what the Buhari government does daily in the North-east, North-west, and North-central parts of the country, where terrorists and bandits abound, is send them to God to answer for their crimes.
“This much has been confirmed by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Faruk Yahaya.
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“Hear the Army Chief, on the day he was decorated with his new rank: “That’s what we have started doing already. Many of them have been sent to God to answer for their crimes, and we will continue to do that.”
“President Buhari had ordered the security forces to crush all violent criminals and those sponsoring insurrection in the country, vowing that they would be treated “in the language they understand.” And it is happening without let or hindrance, without fear or favor.
“Why then do some people claim that certain troublers of the country are being treated with softer hands, than some others? This could be due to deliberate ignorance, mischief, or pure hatred. Those who keenly follow the war against insurgency and banditry in the northern part of the country, and who want to be honest, would admit that no quarter is boing asked, and none is being given. Every effort is being made to extirpate the evil from our body polity,” Adesina wrote.
He highlighted headlines from the media of Nigeria’s security forces eliminating bandits and Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists in the North to back his assertion that the president has no soft spots for criminals, wherever they may come from.
“All over the country, terrorists, bandits, kidnappers, all types of criminals are being spoken to in the language they understand. And victory of good over evil is sure, inexorable. Yet some people say they see nothing that government is doing. Pitiable souls. Of all men most miserable.
“May God bless our troops. May He protect them, reward their labor of love. As for the cynics and septics, may God have mercy on them, open their eyes, and help them not to hate their own country any longer,” Adesina further wrote.