– British media express their dissapointment
over President Buhari’s broken promises
– A deadly attack in Dalori is a vivid example of the
presidency’s inability to defeat the terrorists
– At least 86 people were killed and 62 more injured in
the attack that lasted for about four hours
– “There is a difference between what he would like to do
and what he is able to do.”
– Terrorism, corruption, economic and other issues
are yet to be addressed
Editor’s note: Alistair Dawber, the reporter of the
British national newspaper The Independent, claims that
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari overstated his
ability to stop the Islamists, as a deadly attack in Dalori
village clearly shows that the fight with Boko Haram
insurgency is far from its end.
The reprisal attack where the terrorists burnt children
alive
The attack in the village of Dalori began when three female
suicide bombers detonated their explosive belts in the
name of Boko Haram. Four hours later, after the jihadists
had firebombed houses with local people locked inside, 86
men, women and children were dead.
Women and children look at burnt out houses following an
attack by Boko Haram in Dalori
“They came in through the bush, some of them riding on
motorcycles and some in cars. People ran helter skelter for
safety. Some crossed the river behind our village and we
made distress calls to the soldiers but no help came. They
started shooting and burnt the town. They even beheaded
some of us and set the elderly, who could not escape, on
fire,” a resident of Dalori, in Nigeria’s violent north east,
told Channels Television
Boko Haram, the band of Islamists that has sworn loyalty
to Isis and which wants to extend its writ across West
Africa, is a group that President Muhammadu Buhari has
previously said he has beaten. Its continued presence is
an embarrassment for the retired army general.
Last weekend was Mr Buhari’s worst since winning the
election 11 months ago
To make matters worse, as news of the attack filtered
through, his government had been forced to go cap in
hand to the World Bank and African Development Bank,
asking for $3.5bn in loans as the fall in the price of oil has
caused the Nigerian economy to falter.
Nigeria’s rating on the list of least corrupt countries of the
world.
Last weekend was probably Mr Buhari’s worst since
winning the election 11 months ago – and it capped an
uncomfortable time in office.
He came to power on a promise of ending the endemic
corruption that had become rife under his predecessor,
Goodluck Jonathan, and offering his own guarantee as a
military man that Boko Haram’s days were numbered. He
has largely over-promised and under-delivered.
“There is a difference between what he would like to do
and what he is able to do. He made a promise to tackle
corruption, in a country where the only way to get
something done is to bribe somebody. Nigeria is almost
ungovernable, but he has also been slow to make
reforms,” said Richard Dowden, director of the Royal
African Society .
Buhari promised “normalcy” for the people in the North-
East but failed
If Mr Buhari, “a straight talking military man” according to
Mr Dowden, has had little time to cement changes in
Nigerian society, he has been quick to laud apparent
successes against Boko Haram. In an interview at the end
of last year, he said that the Nigerian army, criticised in
some quarters for its ineffective performance against the
insurgents, had “technically defeated” Boko Haram.
It is true that the military has enjoyed a number of
successes, and Nigeria’s regional standing has gained
currency – there is now more cooperation between Nigeria
and its neighbours. But, as the attack in Dalori shows, the
fight is far from at an end.
The war between jihadists and the Nigerian government
has killed 20,000 people in the last six years and driven
nearly 2.5 million from their homes. Mr Buhari has
promised “normalcy” for the people in the North-east
areas around the town of Maiduguri, the worst affected
area, but it appears that the normality is Boko Haram’s
ability to act with impunity.
Economic issues
If the Nigerian president has been too quick to declare his
successes against Boko Haram, he has had little chance
to solve the other problem in his in-tray. Nigeria’s
economy relies heavily on oil – about 70 per cent of
national income comes from sales of crude – but the
recent collapse in its price has caused the country’s deficit
to grow. Just a third of Nigeria’s income is expected to
come from oil revenues this year.
The price of oil over the last month
Gene Leon, the International Monetary Fund’s
representative in Nigeria, told the Financial Times that
Nigeria faced “significant external and fiscal account
challenges”. Africa’s biggest oil producer is looking to
borrow up to $5bn to shore up its economy. Up to $3.5bn
will be sought from the World Bank and African
Development Bank, with the rest borrowed from the capital
markets.
“We have held exploratory talks with the World Bank. We
have not applied for emergency loans,” said the finance
minister, Kemi Adeosun.
Some of this, at least, has been sheer bad luck for Mr
Buhari. The price of a barrel of oil has halved since he was
sworn in last May. According to the IMF, Nigeria is
expected to report growth of about three per cent for
2015. If accurate, it would be the lowest growth rate for
more than a decade.
over President Buhari’s broken promises
– A deadly attack in Dalori is a vivid example of the
presidency’s inability to defeat the terrorists
– At least 86 people were killed and 62 more injured in
the attack that lasted for about four hours
– “There is a difference between what he would like to do
and what he is able to do.”
– Terrorism, corruption, economic and other issues
are yet to be addressed
Editor’s note: Alistair Dawber, the reporter of the
British national newspaper The Independent, claims that
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari overstated his
ability to stop the Islamists, as a deadly attack in Dalori
village clearly shows that the fight with Boko Haram
insurgency is far from its end.
The reprisal attack where the terrorists burnt children
alive
The attack in the village of Dalori began when three female
suicide bombers detonated their explosive belts in the
name of Boko Haram. Four hours later, after the jihadists
had firebombed houses with local people locked inside, 86
men, women and children were dead.
Women and children look at burnt out houses following an
attack by Boko Haram in Dalori
“They came in through the bush, some of them riding on
motorcycles and some in cars. People ran helter skelter for
safety. Some crossed the river behind our village and we
made distress calls to the soldiers but no help came. They
started shooting and burnt the town. They even beheaded
some of us and set the elderly, who could not escape, on
fire,” a resident of Dalori, in Nigeria’s violent north east,
told Channels Television
Boko Haram, the band of Islamists that has sworn loyalty
to Isis and which wants to extend its writ across West
Africa, is a group that President Muhammadu Buhari has
previously said he has beaten. Its continued presence is
an embarrassment for the retired army general.
Last weekend was Mr Buhari’s worst since winning the
election 11 months ago
To make matters worse, as news of the attack filtered
through, his government had been forced to go cap in
hand to the World Bank and African Development Bank,
asking for $3.5bn in loans as the fall in the price of oil has
caused the Nigerian economy to falter.
Nigeria’s rating on the list of least corrupt countries of the
world.
Last weekend was probably Mr Buhari’s worst since
winning the election 11 months ago – and it capped an
uncomfortable time in office.
He came to power on a promise of ending the endemic
corruption that had become rife under his predecessor,
Goodluck Jonathan, and offering his own guarantee as a
military man that Boko Haram’s days were numbered. He
has largely over-promised and under-delivered.
“There is a difference between what he would like to do
and what he is able to do. He made a promise to tackle
corruption, in a country where the only way to get
something done is to bribe somebody. Nigeria is almost
ungovernable, but he has also been slow to make
reforms,” said Richard Dowden, director of the Royal
African Society .
Buhari promised “normalcy” for the people in the North-
East but failed
If Mr Buhari, “a straight talking military man” according to
Mr Dowden, has had little time to cement changes in
Nigerian society, he has been quick to laud apparent
successes against Boko Haram. In an interview at the end
of last year, he said that the Nigerian army, criticised in
some quarters for its ineffective performance against the
insurgents, had “technically defeated” Boko Haram.
It is true that the military has enjoyed a number of
successes, and Nigeria’s regional standing has gained
currency – there is now more cooperation between Nigeria
and its neighbours. But, as the attack in Dalori shows, the
fight is far from at an end.
The war between jihadists and the Nigerian government
has killed 20,000 people in the last six years and driven
nearly 2.5 million from their homes. Mr Buhari has
promised “normalcy” for the people in the North-east
areas around the town of Maiduguri, the worst affected
area, but it appears that the normality is Boko Haram’s
ability to act with impunity.
Economic issues
If the Nigerian president has been too quick to declare his
successes against Boko Haram, he has had little chance
to solve the other problem in his in-tray. Nigeria’s
economy relies heavily on oil – about 70 per cent of
national income comes from sales of crude – but the
recent collapse in its price has caused the country’s deficit
to grow. Just a third of Nigeria’s income is expected to
come from oil revenues this year.
The price of oil over the last month
Gene Leon, the International Monetary Fund’s
representative in Nigeria, told the Financial Times that
Nigeria faced “significant external and fiscal account
challenges”. Africa’s biggest oil producer is looking to
borrow up to $5bn to shore up its economy. Up to $3.5bn
will be sought from the World Bank and African
Development Bank, with the rest borrowed from the capital
markets.
“We have held exploratory talks with the World Bank. We
have not applied for emergency loans,” said the finance
minister, Kemi Adeosun.
Some of this, at least, has been sheer bad luck for Mr
Buhari. The price of a barrel of oil has halved since he was
sworn in last May. According to the IMF, Nigeria is
expected to report growth of about three per cent for
2015. If accurate, it would be the lowest growth rate for
more than a decade.