Buhari is sending terrorists, bandits to God for their crimes, aide says

President Muhammadu Buhari's media aide, Femi Adesina, says accusations that the president is not seriously fighting terrorism and banditry are unfounded.

Insecurity has escalated in Nigeria over the past few years, especially terrorism in the north east, and banditry across the the northern region.

The president's inability to curb the wave of violence has been widely-criticised, especially in light of his aggression against less violent agitators for secession in the south.

However, in an op-ed he posted on Thursday, August 5, 2021, Adesina said the criticism is completely false and that the president is crushing terrorists and bandits.

"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," he said, referring to the comment recently used by the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya.

The presidential aide said Buhari is not treating any 'troublers of the country' with softer hands, and any claim to the contrary is due to 'deliberate ignorance, mischief, or pure hatred' by 'pitiable souls'.

He went on to list certain media reports over the past eight months highlighting the success of military troops against terrorists and bandits in the north.

"The Buhari government is cleaning the country of vermin.

"The baby that swears that his mother will not sleep, will himself keep forceful vigil," he said.

Over 2,300 people were kidnapped in Nigeria between January and June 2021, with 237 people losing their lives in kidnap attempts, according to collated media reports.

At least 1,772 civilians were also killed between April and June in violent incidents including terror attacks, abductions, and gang clashes.

Boko Haram has terrorised the north east region since 2009 and displaced millions of people from their communities, with their activities spreading to communities in neighbouring countries.

The death toll directly linked to the group's violence has been estimated to be around 35,000, but the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) said in a recent report that the total death toll is 10 times higher.

"We estimate that through the end of 2020, the conflict will have resulted in nearly 350,000 deaths, with 314,000 of those from indirect causes," the report noted.

A significant amount of the casualties were recorded in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe, with children younger than five years old being the hardest hit.

During a visit to Borno in June, President Buhari admitted that the anti-terror war is not over, years after he claimed Boko Haram was 'technically defeated'.