Buharimeter, a platform monitoring the implementation of the electoral promises of President Muhammadu Buhari, has reported that about 800 Nigerians were murdered by the extremist Boko Haram sect within the first 100 days of Mr. Buhari’s presidency.
The revelation is contained in a report issued by the monitoring platform to mark Mr. Buhari’s stewardship in his first 100 days in office.
The report said Mr. Buhari, in keeping with his campaign promise, prioritized the fight against Boko Haram in northeast Nigeria.
It said despite the president’s best efforts, there had been several attacks by the extremist group, leaving deaths, blood and sorrow in their wake.
“However, in the last 100 days, there have been over 30 successful attacks and bomb explosions which claimed the lives of over 800 people and caused the destruction of properties worth millions of naira,” the report said.
The platform however praised the President for revving up the war against the terrorists.
“Right from his inaugural speech, PMB (President Muhammadu Buhari) ordered the immediate relocation of the Military Command and Control Centre (MCCC), from Abuja to Maiduguri, Borno state,” the report said.
“Since then, the administration has rejigged the Nigerian counter terrorism architecture with interventions ranging from the forging of regional and international alliances to the appointment of new security chiefs with a marching order to end the insurgency within three months to improved security spending,” it said.
The report also said the new administration boosted the morale and welfare of security agents as soon as it came into office.
It said within 100 days, the Nigerian Army reinstated 3,032 officers and military personnel convicted by a General Court Martial for offences committed while fighting the insurgents.
The government, it added, also offered scholarships to the children of slain officers and monetary compensation to their families.
“More so, apart from the immediate release of N5billion to bomb victims upon the directive from the President, Nigeria has received financial and technical supports from countries like China, Israel, USA, Switzerland, etc., and from the United Nations (UN) as well, to improve the victims’ economic and social conditions.
“The recent recapturing of the towns of Dikwa and Gamboru Ngala from the insurgents, reports of unsuccessful Boko Haram attacks, and the rescue of some kidnapped persons from the den of the insurgents by the Nigerian Military are positive signals towards ending the insurgency.
Regarding the fight against corruption, Buharimeter rated four of the 13 promises made by the president as ongoing.
It said immediately after inauguration, the President and his deputy opted for a 50 per cent percent pay cut as part of their commitment towards reducing the cost of governance.
The report also noted that “In its bid to block leakages, the administration established a single treasury account for all federal revenues.
“To institutionalise accountability within the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), the President gave directives that civil servants must henceforth respond to the auditor’s queries within 24 hours; and all pending queries must be responded to within 30 days.
“To strengthen his fight against corruption, a seven-member Presidential Advisory Committee against Corruption headed by Professor Itse Sagay (SAN) was constituted to advice the administration on the prosecution of its anti-corruption war.”
The report added that the anti-corruption bodies, notably the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, have in the past 100 days embarked on a renewed fight against corruption.
It said several foreign nations also committed to helping Nigeria locate and retrieve stolen assets, while the federal government appointed PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) and KPMG to conduct forensic audits into the accounts of all revenue-generating agencies of the government.
Buharimeter lamented the attempts to distance Mr. Buhari from several of his campaign promises.
It recalled that the president’s spokesperson, Femi Adesina, tried to argue that the president never promised to make public his assets and liabilities, but that it was his party, the APC, that made the commitment.
“His assertion generated a lot of public backlash,” the report said.
The report, however, added that, the president and his vice eventually provided details of their declared assets and liabilities via a press statement by another presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu, on the 98th day of the administration.
Buharimeter also assessed the president’s performance in infrastructure, oil and gas, agriculture, environment, Niger Delta affairs, employment and foreign policy.
Following its findings, Buharimeter made some recommendations to the President.
— That he must constitute a cabinet to assist him in his responsibility for the smooth and effective running of the government on a day-to-day basis within the coming weeks.
— That the government immediately unveil its policy directions.
— That the President should urgently articulate a “Marshal Plan” to address security challenges posed by terrorism, ethno-religious violence, rural banditry, kidnapping, amongst others.
— That the President should direct his efforts to implementing policies and programmes for employment generation.
— That efforts should be directed to the education sector, particularly in the areas of capacity building for unemployed youth, through vocational training.
— That the President take urgent steps to implement the other 197 unrated promises.
