Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity on Friday said that President Muhammadu Buhari is focused on securing Nigeria and passionate about the unity of Nigeria as well as tackling the myriads of security challenges in the country.
Shehu stated this in Abuja during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, noting that Nigerians enjoy the freedom of speech under President Buhari’s administration.
“The President is focused on securing this country, he is focused on the unity of this country and he will preserve it,” he said.
Freedom of speech
“People should be free to say whatever because this country is under the best democratic government that we have had since the fourth republic.
“The President will not lock up people, there is no assassination by state actors under Buhari and so, therefore, people can say whatever they want to say. They will go home and sleep very soundly.”
Bandits
Garba Shehu also spoke on the banditry activities in the northwestern states, reiterating his principal’s commitment to nipping the menace in the bud.
He said President Buhari has ordered the security agencies to shoot at sight anyone caught in the illegal possession of firearms, notably the AK-47 rifles.
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On terrorism, he regretted that some media practitioners carry out reports that seem to glamorise crime by making some Boko Haram terrorists look like heroes.
“We have the most vibrant media community on the continent and we expect robustness or criticism from them.
“Some of the elements, I am careful to say some of the elements in our media that glamorise crime that will make Boko Haram look like heroes. It doesn’t help anybody.”
Garba Shehu neither confirmed nor debunked the claim when asked if President Buhari would relax the shoot-at-sight order considering reports that the bandits are demanding this in exchange for the release of some abducted students.
He replied saying, “I am not competent to answer this question. I believe that law enforcement agencies should answer this.”
