President Muhammadu Buhari has taken a critical look at the security situation in the country with a submission that the military and other security agencies are recording greater success in the move to combat insecurity across the country.
He also charged the Nigerian media on the need to accurately report security and safety issues by reviewing the usage of prefixes like “rising insecurity” with “declining insecurity”.
The president, in a message issued on Monday by his spokesman, Garba Shehu, to felicitate with the Muslim Ummah, Nigerians of all faiths and followers of Islam all over the world on the occasion of the Maulud-Un-Nabiyy, gave a snapshot of the increased activities the Armed Forces, Police Force, and intelligence agencies have embarked upon to effectively respond to the security challenges in the nation.
The president added that increased cooperation and collaboration from the citizenry, coupled with reinvigorated, dynamic and energized police, security and military leadership are helping the administration score more victories against terror, criminality and economic sabotage.
He stressed that the reality of declining insecurity should replace the inaccurate narrative of rising insecurity in the country.
“While there is work to do, the men and women in uniform who are helping the nation to achieve this goal, desire our collective appreciation and encouragement to do even more. The whole country and its mass communications systems have a duty in this regard,” the president added.
According to him, the government fully expects and intends for these trends to continue, and called on the media to address the tone, content and standards of reporting into security and safety measures.
Time has come, he posited, for media to revise the prefixes “rising insecurity” with “declining insecurity.”
In his felicitation with the Muslim Ummah to mark the Eid-Ul-Maulud on Tuesday, 19th October, which has been declared a public holiday throughout the federation, President Buhari said: “I am delighted to send greetings of peace, unity and goodwill to the Muslim Ummah, fellow citizens and Muslims all over the world as they observe and celebrate Eid-ul- Maulud.”
He urged Muslims to strive for “forgiveness and closeness to the noble life and teachings of the Prophet (SAW) whose birthday is being marked on this blessed day.
“On this auspicious occasion, I wish you all the blessings of today”.