President Muhammadu Buhari flew out to the UK today for, depending on who you ask, “a short leave”, a “medical visit”, or a “medical check up while on leave”.
Whatever the reason for the 10-day absence, rest or medical, Buhari is on his way to becoming the most insensitive ruler in Nigerian history. Two days ago, the Nigerian air-force accidentally bombed an internally displaced people’s camp in Rann village, Borno State, killing 52 people and injuring up to 120. 48 of the severely injured still remain in the bombed camp.
The president has not bothered to visit the state since coming to power in May 2015. While 48 severely injured Nigerians have not been evacuated to hospital, Buhari is flying out abroad for a “medical check up”.
His use of medical facilities in the UK should make every Nigerian sick to the stomach, considering billions of naira have been budgeted for the clinic at the presidential lodge in Abuja – more than is allocated for all the federal hospitals in Nigeria put together. Just in June last year, he also flew to the UK for treatment of an “ear infection”. The least the president could do is to evacuate the injured in Rann, so that they can benefit from the medical facilities at the presidential lodge – as he is so unwilling to use those facilities despite the huge cost.
As if this were not enough, Fulani herdsmen, who are alleged to have killed over 800 people in Southern Kaduna in the past few weeks, without a robust response from the president, have continued the murdering spree with three more people killed and several more injured in Zango Kataf Local Government Area yesterday. As Nigerians are dying, the president decided it’s the best time to be holidaying abroad.
In the meantime, Nigerian troops are reportedly ready to strike imminently, as part of a West African regional force, to remove President Yahya Jammeh in Gambia, who has refused to step down after losing an election. No person with any pretensions of leadership goes on leave as his troops are about to do battle.
Activist lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa said earlier this month that: “On account of this sickness, the president is manifestly not in control of affairs in Aso Villa and has been hijacked by some cabal, who are directly in control of all critical national issues.” It is clear that Buhari has abandoned any sense of responsibility in leading the country.
The president is detached, disinterested and is disoriented, and this is manifesting itself in a disorganised administration and rapidly deteriorating state of affairs in the country.
