BMO counters CAN for saying coming elections not feasible, assures others “terrorists, bandits can’t overrun Nigeria by 2023”

By KEMI KASUMU

The Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) has dismissed suggestions by some highly placed individuals and groups that terrorists could overrun the country by 2023, especially Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN’s utterances that the coming election is not feasible.

It said in a statement signed by its Chairman Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary Cassidy Madueke that claims of a worsening security situation were not exactly true.

“We, at BMO, acknowledge that the country is grappling with some security challenges at the moment but it amounts to a disservice to the security agencies to suggest that the criminals are having a upper hand to the extent of over running the country by 2023.

“What we find particularly galling is the impression created by leaders of religious and socio-cultural groups of little or no action to stem the activities of terrorists.

“This is not only false but also misleading considering how the country had fared recently in the war against insurgency after several years of suicide bombings and mass killings in major cities of Northern Nigeria.

“For the avoidance of doubt, total of 47,975 terrorists and their families have so far surrendered to troops in the region from September 2021 to date.

“This is in addition to decimating the insurgents and restricting them to the fringes of the Lake Chad and the Mandara hills aside from several convictions of terrorists by a special court.

“As for the North West were the country is witnessing a new wave of terrorism, the military has been carrying out air and land operations against bandits and other criminal elements even though more still have to be done,” the statement added.

BMO also countered claims by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) that elections are not feasible next year as a result of security challenges.

it said: “We see it as a case of scare mongering especially as the country witnessed a worse situation in the past, yet elections were held.

“We also saw how the nation’s security agencies ensured that the gubernatorial election in Anambra state took place in spite of security threat.

“So we have a government in place at the centre which has the capacity to not only stem the tide of insecurity in the North West but also prove naysayers wrong about the 2023 election.

“We make bold to say that just like they did in the North East, the military on the watch of President Muhammadu Buhari will decimate criminal elements in the Zamfara and Kaduna axis and other parts of the country.”

The group also reaffirmed that the President Buhari administration has not been overwhelmed by the prevalent insecurity in the North West .