Boko Haram Attacks Worse Under Buhari's Administration - Ekweremadu

The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, on Thursday said the Boko Haram insurgency had worsened under President Muhammadu Buhari.

Ekweremadu said the former President Goodluck Jonathan administration had almost rolled back Boko Haram and its activities in the North-East.

The deputy senate president also expressed the fear the insurgents could also attack Abuja and the southern part of the country soon.

Speaking to journalists in Abuja, he chose not to answer questions on his alleged involvement in the forgery of senate rules but said he had been worried about the renewed attacks by Boko Haram.

He said;

“I am worried about the resurgence of Boko Haram activities in Nigeria. Shortly before the inauguration of the present government, the country had almost rolled back Boko Haram and its activities in every part of Nigeria – from Adamawa to Borno to Yobe. 

“I was hoping that when we come back in the 8th Assembly, that I will work with our colleagues from the North-East to develop a plan of action that will help to rehabilitate that part of Nigeria. I feel so concerned about the suffering of our people from the North-East of Nigeria. 

“I had hoped that by now we would be tasking ourselves on how best to rebuild that part of Nigeria. Regrettably the actions of Boko Haram seem to have resurfaced now; not only in Borno, they have carried out their activities also in Plateau, they have gone to Adamawa and Kaduna. 

“I am worried that if nothing is done, the next target would be Abuja. Maybe they will start going to the South. It is important for us as those in government, whether executive or legislature, to come together to find solutions to these problems.”

He therefore appealed to Nigeria’s neighboring countries and the international community to support the country to roll back the activities of Boko Haram, stressing that there was no way the nation could achieve progress in the country without peace.

He said the Buhari administration should, as a matter of urgency, “deal with this security challenge no matter what it would cost us.”

He also called for collaboration between the executive and the legislature in order to deal with the scourge.

“We must be on the same page on this matter. I believe that it is time for us to have meetings with the executive as well as the security agencies in order to find out exactly what has happened – why the resurgence of these Boko Haram activities and what we can do as a people to ensure that this matter is dealt with decisively,” Ekweremadu said.