President Buhari's government shifts blame game to the UK
The Buhari’s administration continues the blame game as it now points fingers beyond the shores of Nigeria. The recent one is made against the London Telegraph of supporting Boko Haram terrorism in Nigeria.
According to a press release by the Senior Special Assistant
to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, criticised the 30th
August and 12 April publication of the newspaper on the Boko Haram insurgency
and the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps.
The excerpts of the statement reads: “The London Telegraph’s
article ‘Children Face Death by Starvation in Northern Nigeria’ (30th July)
repeats a claim from an earlier piece ‘Nigeria Using UK Aid to Persecute
President’s Political Foes’ (12th April) – that Nigeria is diverting UK aid
monies away from defeating the Islamist terror group Boko Haram towards those
the newspaper identifies as political opponents of the Administration. This is
as incorrect as it is unhelpful.
“These claims in both articles are attributed to an unnamed
‘source’ in the United States, and ‘Western officials’. Yet when the first
article was published it drew the condemnation of the US Embassy in Abuja as
having drawn conclusions directly opposite to the position of the US
government.”
Contrary to the assertions by the report, the report pointed
out that the UK government did not give development aid to the Nigerian
administration for use in military operations against Boko Haram.
The Presidency, the statement said, is in no position to
divert aid monies meant for emergency relief for refugees or IDP camps to any
other purpose as they are dispensed directly by DFID, USAID, the United
Nations, the International Red Cross, Doctors without Borders and many other
organizations.
Furthermore, it said: “The humanitarian situation in these
camps is real. The Administration remains deeply concerned about the medical,
health and nutrition challenges and we are doing everything with the limited
resources we have at our disposal to improve the situation.
“However, the blame for the plight of refugees lies with
Boko Haram. They are its cause, not the Nigerian Government.
“In the light of ongoing efforts, we regret the recent
attack on the UN humanitarian convoy in the North-eastern region and are encouraged
by the world body’s determination to continue rendering assistance to the
displaced victims.
“That the attack was repelled by Nigerian troops escorting
the convoy shows precisely how the Government and humanitarian agencies are
working together.” It added
The Presidency also debunked the statements which accuses
the Buhari’s Administration of targeting Christians and the opposition were
without substance.
Rather, the presidency claimed that ever since the current
administration assumed office, President Buhari always treated all Nigerians,
irrespective of their religious affiliation or tribe equally. This is despite
the fact that all Nigerians from all walks of life have been accusing Buhari
for his lop-sidedness in making various appointment to favour a certain section
of the country without considering the aftermath effect of his actions.
It further stated: “To suggest his government as deepening
Muslim-Christian division is not only untrue, but plays into the hands of Boko
Haram who wish to divide Nigerians along religious lines. Fighting this group
is key priority of President Buhari’s Administration.
“Indeed the international community has widely acknowledged
his determination to defeat terrorism in Nigeria and the entire Lake Chad
Basin.
“There is nothing to gain by attempting to mould public
opinion against these facts. Therefore we invite The Telegraph to visit Nigeria:
to witness first hand not only the challenges we face, but the Administration’s
determination to confront them,” It stated.
