Despite over 80 schoolchildren and teachers being held hostage by terrorists for months, President Bola Tinubu’s government has accused the Nigerian media of blowing the security crisis out of proportion.
Bayo Onanuga, spokesperson for Mr Tinubu, in an interview with ARISE TV on Tuesday, said, “I travelled from Lagos to Oyo for a burial. The problem is that the media in Nigeria are creating the problem. The way they report insecurity is as if the entire country is consumed.”
When asked whether he could travel by road from Borno through Yobe and Niger to Lagos, Mr Onanuga said, “Some people do it.”
“The executive secretary of NELFUND told me he drove from Abuja to Kebbi by road. Don’t let people frighten you that the entire country is under siege,” Mr Onanuga said, but admitted there are “security breaches”.
On May 15, terrorists in coordinated attacks in Esienle and Yawota communities in Orire local council of Oyo state kidnapped 46 schoolchildren and their teachers.
In the same week, Boko Haram raided Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in the Askira-Uba council area of Borno state, abducting about 40 schoolchildren.
“Nigeria is not under siege the way oppositions are trying to make Nigerians see it as, there is insecurity everywhere. Last week, we drove from Abakaliki to Enugu.
“The oppositions are shouting, exaggerating and attacking the president. Have they ever come up with solutions? Let the oppositions come with their programmes for interrogation so that we can understand whether they have anything new to offer Nigerians,” Mr Onanuga stated.
The presidential spokesperson further dismissed claims of poverty and other hardships in the country, adding that Mr Tinubu’s reforms had yielded more funds for state governments to execute developmental projects.
“I am a Nigerian. I have people working for me. I don’t see the level of hunger people are talking about because I see them. This government has increased the minimum wage. Governors are saying that they are willing to pay N100,000 based on the money they are collecting. Many Nigerians are saying this is the best time for them because they are making money,” the presidential spokesman claimed.
When asked about the growing public frustrations despite increased revenues, Mr Onanuga said, “We have visited up to nine states. We didn’t see any public frustrations. What are people talking about, really? If you have students benefitting from government loans, isn’t that good enough? If you’re a civil servant, you benefit from cheap loans. I think we have been pigeonholed into certain assumptions or conclusions.”
He added, “When you want to look at government impact, people always focus on the federal government. Whereas the assessment should start from the states because they are getting more funds. In fact, the states are saying they are happy to be governors under this administration. People should wake up to that reality, the reality that things are really changing and the nation is better for it.”
The presidential spokesperson, however, admitted that “I am not saying there is no rise in the costs of living”.
“Nowhere in the world where these reforms we implement won’t make people go through certain hardship or pains. This president is acutely aware of this. And his steps are directed to cushion these challenges. As we’re doing reforms, we’re also rolling out palliatives.
“Whatever problem we’re facing now is temporary. There are indicators that the foundations for a prosperous country are always being laid. Nigeria will soon overcome its challenges. Nigerians should believe that things will get much better,” Mr Onanuga stated.
