TheCable

The All Progressives Congress (APC) says Thursday’s visit of President Goodluck Jonathan to Maiduguri is incomplete, and the president will now have to visit Chibok, Buni Yadi, Potiskum and other communities affected by activities of Boko Haram.

The president departed for the state worst-hit by the insurgency shortly after he took part in the armed forces remembrance day in Abuja.

Prior to that trip, Jonathan was severely criticised for staying away from the state, particularly after the abduction of 276 school girls from Government Secondary School, Chibok.

In a statement issued in Markurdi, the capital of Benue state on Friday, Lai Mohammed, APC’s national publicity secretary, said Jonathan’s visit was a preparatory ground for his campaign scheduled for January 21 in Maiduguri.

“We have always said the president and the commander-in-chief of the armed forces should never be afraid to visit anywhere in the country,” he said.

“Now that the president has woken up from his slumber, he should also address the issue of the low morale of the troops and their lack of the necessary fighting equipment, if they are to effectively battle the terrorists who have killed and maimed thousands of innocent citizens.

“But it is necessary to remind the president that he must not play politics with human lives, and that he must stop putting Jonathan first, Jonathan second and Jonathan third, at the expense of the nation.”

While urging the president to encourage the soldiers who are in active line of duty to defend the country, APC wondered how the $1 billion loan recently approved by the national assembly for the procurement of ammunition for the armed forces was used.

“It is instructive that a few hours after President Jonathan visited Maiduguri, the global news channel CNN aired an interview with some Nigerian soldiers who complained of very low morale among the rank and file, lack of fighting equipment and very poor welfare,” it said.

“Another blamed the terrible situation being faced by the troops on massive corruption. This does no credit to an administration that has allocated billions of naira to the defence and security sector, billions that apparently did not percolate to those at the front line of the battle.

“It calls to question the usage to which the government has put the huge funds allocated to the sector, including the 1-billion-dollar loan that was recently approved by the national assembly.”