Buhari arrives Maiduguri

President Muhammadu Buhari is currently in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital,  for a one-day working visit.

Buhari arrived the North-eastern state on Thursday at about 10:05am amid a heavy presence of security operatives.

The president who landed at the Nigerian Air Force Wing of the Maiduguri International Airport was accompanied by prominent government officials. He was received by the Governor of Borno State, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, and other top government officials in the state.

Students were lined up on the streets to receive the President.

Military and paramilitary officers were at the headquarters of Operation Hadin Kai also to receive the President.

Buhari, whose visit is to assess the security situation in the North East, will address troops at Maimalari Cantonment, and also inaugurate some completed Federal and state projects.

Some of the projects to be inaugurated include the 4,000 housing units for displaced persons out of the 10,000 units being constructed by the Federal Government in Borno, and the Senate Building of Borno State University, Maiduguri.

Others are the Borno State Vocational Enterprising Institute, Muna, Government Day Technical Secondary School, Njimtilo, Dr Babagana Wakilbe Memorial School, Abbaganaram Maternal Healthcare Centre and the Jiddari-Polo road and drainage.

Movement has been restricted in some areas of Maiduguri for security reasons.

The last time the President visited Borno was on Wednesday, February 12, 2020 when a crowd of angry residents booed him while his convoy drove through Maiduguri.

The residents were heard shouting in Hausa: “Bama so, ka samu a kunya”, which when translated to English means, “We don’t want you, because you have disappointed us”.

Though Buhari and his aides had repeatedly told Nigerians that Boko Haram was defeated, terrorists continue to kill, rape and abduct children, women and men in the state.

Buhari’s visit to Borno is happening barely 24-hours after Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorist  razed a military formation in Kwamdi village, Damboa Local Government Area of Borno.

According to Daily Trust, Boko Haram terrorists overran a military formation in the Southern part of the state on Tuesday evening and carted away weapons belonging to the military during a gun duel. The fighters were said to have stormed the area in 10 utility vehicles, and burnt down one Ammour Personal Carrier (APC) and a gun truck.

According to a member of the Civilian Joint Task Force (JTF), Hamidu Abu, the deadly group targeted soldiers camp but not residents.

He added that the base was razed down as several valuables were stolen by the assailants.