Follow Us on Google
Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The Special Adviser in Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, has said that the security situation under the Muhammadu Buhari’s administration is better than the previous one under former President Goodluck Jonathan.
According to him, compared to the previous administration where bombs were going off 10 times a day, the situation has improved.
He added that Nigerians ought to be grateful to those in the frontline who are sacrificing to keep the nation secured.
Adesina who was a guest of Politics Today on Channels Television said: “We should be thankful and encourage those who are doing this work, they are young men and women in the frontline battling day and night. When we make it seem as if they are not doing anything, things are getting worse, they get dispirited. They need to be encouraged that is what I am saying.”
On the report that Leah Sharibu, the Christian girl among 112 students kidnapped by Boko Haram insurgents in Yobe, has given birth in captivity and if there was still hope of bringing her back the presidential spokesman said: two things in one you said, any hope of bringing her back? I like that line from Alexander Pope, the poet ‘Hope springs eternal in the human.’ We must never give up hope on anything. So I believe Leah Sharibu can return and will return. She will return one day by the grace of God.”
On the latest efforts to bring her back and if government was in touch with the terrorists, Adesina replied: “No. Today, I was in touch with the top echelon of the security and I got an update on Leah Sharibu. Of course, I cannot talk about everything now, all I can just say is that there is still a window, there is a communication channel and the hope that she will one day come back is alive.”
In a tweet confirming the development, Ahmad Salkida, journalist with access to the insurgents, said Sharibu is now a mother, but that he was yet to know the gender of the baby.
On the killing of chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Michika local government area of Adamawa state, Lawan Andimi, Adesina said the condolence statement by President Buhari, did revealed that there were talks with the terrorists who demanded as high as N800 million. He said there were things going on by the government of the state, the federal and other stakeholders to secure his release when the news came that he has been executed.
Adesina said: “It shows you that right from the beginning there was no intention of killing the man. If it was money they wanted, money was being put together. Remember the president had said in his first year in office that whatever it will take to bring the hostages back, particularly the Chibok girls then, he said if it meant paying, he will pay. Money would have even paid if that was intended to get him out.”
The Presidential spokesman said for every line the terrorists take, it was a big mistake and will pay for it.
