Nigerian new President Muhammadu Buhari has declared that the Defence Headquarters will be relocated to Maiduguri, the Borno State capital to effectively stamp out the dreaded Islamist sect, Boko Haram.
Buhari stated this at the Eagle Square Abuja while delivering his inaugural speech shortly after his swearing-in as the new President of Nigeria.
The retired General contended that it was impossible for the military to win the war against terror while giving commands from Abuja. He also promised to commission a study group with terms of reference of identifying the remote and immediate causes of the insurgency, their sponsors and their international backers.
In an apparent bid to present himself as non-sectarian leader, Buhari declared to the admiration of guests at the swearing –in parade that, “I belong to everybody and I belong to nobody”.
He appreciated the success recorded by the military in the fight against terror and also thanked the neighboring countries who joined forces to combat Boko Haram.
Buhari also spoke glowingly about the outgoing President, Jonathan describing him as a standard of political conduct.
” I commend the sportsmanship of outgoing President Goodluck Jonathan.
“He has set precedence for Nigerians to be proud. He proved the world wrong that we cannot do the right thing. He has become standard of political conduct”, Buihari said.
On those afraid of possible prosecution, the President asked them not flee saying that was not his focus.
He admitted that there are enormous challenges facing the nation but charged Nigerians not to succumb to hopelessness.
His words, “ We face enormous challenges – insecurity, corruption, fuel shortages,. We will tackle them headlong. We must not succumb to hopelessness.
“Daunting as the task, they are not insurmountable. We must consciousness work democratic process. The law enforcement agencies will be charged to work within the constitution. The must stabilize the system. The judicial needed to be reformed to cleanse itself from its immediate past.
“The gross corruption at the local level will be checked. There will be strict adherence to transparency at all levels of the Governenment”. \
He charged that media including the social media to be responsible and be patriotic in the discharge of their duties.
Buhari decried abysmal power generation of about 4,000 megawatts saying , “We will utilize quickest, safest way to bring power to Nigeria”.
