MURIC: Buhari’s visit to B’Haram strongholds should be shrouded in secrecy

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) says the decision of the Nigerian Army to announce President Muhammadu Buhari’s proposed trip to Sambisa forest was ill-advised.

In a statement signed by Ishaq Akintola, its director, the group said it would not be good to play with the life of the nation’s number one citzen.

“The Nigerian army last week disclosed the proposed visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to Sambisa forest, Borno state. During the visit which was billed to take place on Monday, 27th March, 2017, the president was expected to declare open this year’s Nigerian Army Small Arms Championship,” the statement read.

“Although the event has since been held and the president was represented by a high ranking Nigerian official, MURIC berates the way and manner the Nigerian army made the president’s movement public ahead of the time in a zone that is yet to be completely secure. That publicity blitz on the president’s proposed visit to Sambisa was, to say the least, naive, infantile and ill-advised.”

MURIC cited examples of past presidents of the United states who visited terror zones in secrecy, saying Buhari’s case should not be different.

“While it is true that presidents of countries who dispatched soldiers to war zones usually visit such dangerous places as the commaders-in-chief of the army, such visits are usually clandestine for obvious reasons. This explains why US President Lincoln’s visit to Antietam on October 3, 1862 was unannounced. On Sunday, 25th May 2014, former US president Barrack Obama slipped into Afghanistan under cover of darkness,” he said.

“So why should Buhari’s visit to Sambisa be different? This is a notorious Boko Haram stronghold that was held in awe for years. We cannot afford to underestimate the enemy. Although Boko Haram has been defeated, bombs are still exploding in Borno State. Villages are still being attacked. Innocent people are still being killed. That shows how desperate the insurgents are. We should not play into their hands, at least not with the life of the president.

“MURIC therefore pleads that future movements of president Muhammadu Buhari and that of senior government officials around Borno state should be shrouded in secrecy until the remnants of insurgency have been totally eliminated.”