Insecurity: Nigerians Appreciate Our Efforts, Says Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari says Nigerians acknowledge the efforts of his administration in tackling perennial insecurity and pervasive killings that are bedevilling the country.

The president said this while addressing the state house correspondents after joining his family members and some top government officials to observe the Eid El-Kabir prayers at the presidential villa in Abuja.

The president said the security challenges predate his administration.

He, however, bemoan the performance of the security agencies, saying they ought to have done better.

“I want Nigerians to be very conscious of their country and what we inherited when we came in 2015 was Boko Haram in the north-east and the militancy in the south-south… Nigerians know that we have done our best,” he said.

“What is coming up in the north-west and north-central is very disturbing indeed but I believe the military, the police, and other law enforcement agencies from the report I am getting, I think they could do much better.

“They could do much better, but we are keeping them on the alert all the time to do their duties.”

In a statement, Garba Shehu, presidential spokesman, said Buhari has given assurances to security agencies that he would provide more resources for them to deal with the unwanted security situation in some parts of the country.

Shehu quoted Buhari as saying while much had been achieved, security-wise, from the situation he inherited in 2015, more still needed to be done.

“He (the President) said considering the security situation on ground when he came to office, ‘Nigerians know that we have done our best. However, what is coming out of the North West and the North Central is very disturbing’ Shehu said in a statement.

“Responding to a specific question on the performance of the service chiefs which recently, he said needed to get better, the President said that the military, the police, and other security agencies are working hard.

“We are making available resources to them to even do better,” he assured, adding that “from the reports I am getting, they could do much better…they could do much better. But we are keeping them on the alert all the time to do their duties.”