Nigerian govt has no clue on whereabout of Chibok girls

….. Buhari says he has no idea about ban on withdrawal of ForexNigerian’s President, Muhammadu Buhari, has said security officials have no intelligence what’s over about the where about of the Chibok Girls who have been missing for over a year now.

Government, he said was willing to negotiate with the terrorists provided they have a clearer picture of the true state and whereabout of the girls.

He also said he has no idea about the new policy on ban of withdrawal of foreign exchange from banks.

However the President said the restrictions on foreign exchange could not be lifted as Nigeria’s FX reserved was at an all time low.

This is even as the President said he would need to be convinced on why he needs to devaluate the naira. He said he is yet see reasons to devalue the country’s currency which has currently fallen to about N250 in the parallel market. ” I need to be convinced. If you devalue the naira, against what? Dollar, sterling, yen, French Franc? He asked

The President who spoke while answering questions during his maiden Presidential media chat on national television also faulted the National Assembly’s proposal of N47billion for the purchase of new cars.

“there is no money to serve as shocks for forex. So it’s not about lifting ban the use of forex” the President said in reference to the ban on FX adding that the county is now focusing on encouraging local production of foods & import what is really needed.

On the proposed purchase of cars for lawmakers worth an estimated N47bn the President said he would revisit the issue and exploit all avenues to stop them from proceeding on such a wasting spree. He said he hopes the lawmakers have not proceeded to purchase the cars.

“I turned down a huge bill for vehicles, but I know we need some vehicles for foreign visitors. If I refuse to agree for my own presidency I will not agree for NASS.
“I cannot see the NASS spending N45billion to buy cars on top of the transport allowance they collect. I hope the cars have not been bought” the President said in response to a question by one of the panelists on a proposed N1.5bn for a presidential fleet, in the 2016 budget.

On the whereabout of the Chibok girls, the President said his government is willing to negotiate but still has to ascertain the “bonafide leadership of the so-called Boko Haram leadership before we can agree to negotiate with them on what terms will be of interest to us”.

He added that government is still trying to ascertain the true state and whereabout of the 209 girls.

“Secondly, we want to ensure that they are complete, 209 and they are safe and sound. But what we also found talking to a lot of sources is that no Chibok girl has been recovered, they must have dispersed them all over the place, and wanted as far as humanly possible, although some of their parents are desperate they would rather see their graves or the conditions some of them should be in. We are still keeping our options open, that if a credible leadership of Boko Haram can be established and they tell us where those girls are we are prepared to negotiate with them without any pre-condition. This we have made it absolutely clear, but where they are keeping the Chibok girls, they must not get away with the idea that we will not attempt to secure the rest of Nigeria” he said

Responding to a question on if he has any intelligence reports that confirm that the girls are still alive and they are in the possession of Boko Haram he said: “That is what I’m looking for. We are looking for a credible Boko Haram leadership that will convince us that the girls are there and alive. If any of Boko Haram can come out to say it is the leader and that he knows where Chibok girls are we cannot automatically believe him”.

On whether the various levels of intelligence, both military and civil intelligence through DSS etc, have any information that can be made to Nigerians, especially the office of the President, that says for a fact that, Chibok girls are alive and they are okay and in this or that location?

He said: “That kind of information, I’m working with Niger, Chad and the Cameroon and I assure you that the question of Chibok girls is only on our minds for even humanitarian reasons, but there is no such intelligence reports of where those girls are physically are and in what condition they are in, but what we believe in from our intelligence, is theta they keep shifting them around so that they are not taken by surprise until the girls are freed, and they are not kept in one place.

No cogent information about the girls? He said : “that is right, that is the house truth”.

On the removal of subsidy, the President said by the first quarter of next year there would be no mention of oil subsidy anymore because of the low pricing of the product. “The cost of petrol is so low you don’t have to subsidize it” he said adding that government would rather focus on getting is refineries back in shape.

The President also expressed confidence in his cabinet stating that he takes responsibility for appointing them and anyone with any evidence that his ministers were corrupt should come forward with it or rather proceed to court with it.

“I have been a democrat since 2002. I don’t think I tolerate corruption. I don’t think I have picked anybody that I know will embarrass my government. But if you have got evidence on any of my ministers, it is your right as a Nigerian citizen to take them that you don’t want a,b or c in the cabinet because they have got a case in court. I don’t think I picked anybody as a minister who has a case of corruption in court” he said adding that he will sack any cabinet member found corrupt.

 

Elizabeth Archibong