President Muhammadu Buhari has ruled the use of force force to stop the militancy in the Niger Delta.
Buhari’s position is contained in a statement by his Senior Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, in Abuja on Tuesday.
The president, who gave the assurance to the visiting the United States Secretary of State, Mr. John Kerry, at the State House, Abuja, was quoted as saying that though militancy in the Niger Delta had impacted negatively on the economy and affected the positive intentions of international and local investors, government was showing restraint not to use real force, “except when constrained to do so”.
The president promised to ensure that the anti-corruption crusade is institutionalised in Nigeria to ensure that it lasts beyond the life of the current administration.
“We will insist on the standards we’re establishing. We are laying down administrative and financial instructions in the public service that must be obeyed. Any breach will no longer be acceptable,” he said.
“We will retrain our staff, so that they understand the new orientation. And those who run foul of these rules will be prosecuted no matter who is involved. But we will be fair, just and act according to the rule of law.
“Anyone accused of corruption is innocent till we can prove it. We will work very hard to establish documentation for successful prosecution, and those in positions of trust will sit up.”
The president used the opportunity to thank the U.S. for the role it played before the 2015 polls, saying: “America did not do it because of what it stands to benefit from us. You did it for the Nigerian people. It says so much of what the U.S. stands for in the world.”
Speaking on Boko Haram insurgency, Buhari expressed the appreciation of the people and government of Nigeria for both hard and soft military assistance.
“The training and intelligence that we could not muster ourselves, we received. The training has made Boko Haram less of a threat to Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin region, while the military hardware has given our troops added confidence,” he said.
On the economy, the president assured Kerry that the focus of his administration was on the diversification of the economy “having learnt our lessons from years of over dependence on oil”.
In his remarks, Kerry commended the courage of Buhari in fighting corruption, saying: “We applaud what you are doing. Corruption creates a ready-made playing field for recruiting extremists. You inherited a big problem, and we will support you in any way we can.
“We will work with you very closely. We don’t want to interfere, but will offer opportunities as you require.”
The U.S. Secretary of State also pledged to assist in tackling the humanitarian challenges in the North-east, adding that his country would get the United Kingdom, France, and others “to augment the support”.
“Nigeria is a priority for us. We won’t miss the opportunity to work together, because you are making significant progress,” Kerry said.
