Buhari criticizes Army for using SA mercenaries to fight terror

monjola sotubo

May 19, 2015 7:20 AM

Buhari also attributed the recent successes in the fight against terror to the mercenaries in question.

Muhammadu Buhari

President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari has criticized the Nigerian army for employing South African mercenaries to fight against Boko Haram.

The President-elect made the statements on Monday, May 18, 2015, while meeting with members of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) who paid him a courtesy visit in Kaduna.

“The Nigerian military has never been so incapacitated like now. It is a shame that the military cannot secure 14 local governments out of the 774 local governments in the country,” Buhari said.

“What is more worrisome is the fact that the military had to rely on South African mercenaries before it could gain recent success in the war against Boko Haram,” he added.

Buhari also promised that his administration would make tackling insecurity a priority.

“My administration will concentrate on major areas on assumption of office, that is, insecurity, the economy, unemployment and corruption. We will ensure we nip the insecurity in the bud,” he said.

“The Nigeria Army could not do small thing, they have to bring in South African mercenaries to enable them record the recent gains in the Northeast. I don’t know how many of you know this. I got to know about it few days ago that the recent gains in the northeast were because South African mercenaries were used,” Buhari added.

Rampant rumours have it that the Nigerian Army is indeed using mercenaries in its fight against Boko Haram but the government has denied the reports.

monjola sotubo