President Muhammadu Buhari says that his administration will reposition the nation’s economy and improve on security across the nation before the end of his eight-year tenure.
Receiving Executive members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) at the State House Abuja, President Buhari said the security situation had improved over the years, particularly in the North East where the focus had shifted to rebuilding infrastructure and re-orientation on education.
“I am very grateful for your visit to the Presidential Villa, and I agree with you on some of the observations you have made. The question of insecurity is most important to us because unless a country or institution is at peace, it will be difficult to manage”.
“I just came back from Adamawa and Yobe States. During the visit to both states, I listened carefully to what the people and officials had to say. And they all said the situation had improved since 2015, especially in Borno State”.
“Boko Haram was just fraudulent and a plot to destroy Nigeria. You can’t say people should not learn; the people need to grow intellectually,’’ he said.
The President told the Catholic Bishops that the government would continue rebuilding infrastructure in parts of the country affected by terrorist attacks.
President Buhari expressed full confidence in Nigeria, with the capacity to utilize resources and repay loans before the approvals were granted.
He however said that the destruction of oil facilities slowed down revenue generation, stressing that the government would be harder on saboteurs.
He added that some of the challenges faced in the past, which include coups and counter-coups, and civil war, had prepared the nation for survival.
Leader of the delegation and President of the CBCN, Most Rev. Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, commended the President for reforms in the electoral system, making it more stable and fair, particularly the signing of the Electoral Bill into law.