By Sam Kayode
“And I discovered that rather than stopping the rice importation, closing the borders did not make impact”, President Muhammadu Buhari made the revelation in Lafia, Nasarawa State, on Thursday night.
Speaking during a gala night organized in his honour by Governor Abdullahi Sule, the President further said: “I had to open the borders and depend on the Nigerian security to work harder to secure the country.”
The President also explained that he opened the borders of the country especially around the troubled North because he wanted the armed forces to hold on to their constitutional duties to secure the borders.
The President who spoke extempore in Lafia after ending a prepared speech said that after closing the borders for sometime he realized that the insurgency and banditry did not abate so he decided as the Commander in chief to reopen them again.
He philosophically reflected into his election as President which he achieved after three trials and the God factor adding that it is only the same God that can effectively supervise the 1500km of borders of the country against banditry and insurgency.
President Buhari noted that with the God factor which he is relying on, he has opened the borders again so that the security operatives can get into manning the borders more effectively.
The President noted that the best way to enjoy living is to establish good relationship with your neighbors because if you create problems, it will end up with you.
“That was why when I came into office in 2015, I went to Chad, Niger and Cameroon because the whole of ECOWAS if you put them together, they are not up to Nigeria in terms of population and resources.
“With other neighbors we have at least about 1500km of our borders and I tell you only God that can supervise effectively especially within the desert region.
“At a stage I was constrained to close the borders because of the abductions, killings and General insurgency. And all these made me to wonder where these criminals were getting their weapons.
On his position as commander in Chief he went on “I asked for this position. I attempted thrice. I also ended up in the supreme Court three times. And in the last one, when addressing the media, I said God de.
“I expected those who watched me in the media to sympathize with me. Instead they laughed at me. But now I have come, the same God has given me constitutional powers to operate in the first and now the second term. But I thank God and Nigerians. I wish all of us the best of luck.”
Earlier the President re-assured Nigerians that the Federal government will continue to intensify efforts at maintenance of life and property which is the cardinal objective of government.
“We shall continue to cooperate with affected states to ensure that we confront this problems headlong.” He stressed.
Present at the occasion were Governor Abdulahi Sule, the Minister of aviation Hadi Sirika, top Federal and state government officials including traditional rulers.
