I inherited a country with bombs going off in cities — Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has said that he inherited a nation that experienced bomb blasts with “frightening frequency even in cities” from his predecessor.

He made this known at the Passing Out Parade and Presidential Commissioning of 69th Regular Course Cadets of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in Kaduna.

The president noted that the country was prepared to address the evolving and complex security situations confronting the country.

Buhari said that the goal of terrorists, insurgents and their sponsors was to destroy the reforms introduced by his administration to prevent collapse of the economy and revitalise the armed forces.

The president said his administration had invested heavily in infrastructure, with rail, roads, seaports, airports, and power sector revitalised through strategic rehabilitation and reconstruction.

“The same template has been applied in tackling the challenges in the housing, water resources, and health sectors.

“Unsurprisingly, the first targets of attacks by the terrorists are our thriving infrastructure which was intended to make life easier for Nigerians, such as roads, railways and power installations,” he said.

Buhari assured Nigerians that the military would deal with all security threats in any part of the country, as they did in the North East.

He charged the armed forces to protect key national infrastructure from vandals and enemies of state, as well as safeguard the economic and military capability of the nation.

Buhari also pledged to ensure peaceful and transparent elections in 2023.

“I am utterly committed to ensuring that the forthcoming elections are peaceful and transparent, and it is our collective responsibility to continue to work towards building a united and prosperous country,” he added.