Former Presidential Aide Defends Buhari's Security Record
Former presidential aide Bashir Ahmad has engaged in a heated exchange with Arise TV anchor Ayo Mario-Ese following her controversial remarks about former President Muhammadu Buhari's handling of terrorism during his administration.
The conflict erupted after Mario-Ese, during a television discussion about recent political developments, made sweeping statements about Buhari's approach to combating terrorism in Nigeria.
The Controversial Television Remarks
During her appearance on Arise TV, Ayo Mario-Ese stated: "The past administration, we had a leader who almost didn't care about what was going on, almost didn't do anything with regards to pushing back on terrorism. We saw terrorism almost take a life of its own during the last administration."
These comments immediately drew the ire of Bashir Ahmad, who served as a special assistant to President Buhari. The former aide took to his X (formerly Twitter) platform to deliver a comprehensive rebuttal, accusing the journalist of either suffering from amnesia or deliberately manipulating facts for convenience.
Bashir Ahmad's Detailed Rebuttal
In his lengthy response, Ahmad expressed deep disappointment, particularly because the comments came from a journalist. "It is deeply disappointing and frankly alarming when such amnesia comes from someone in journalism, a profession built on truth, memory and responsibility," he wrote.
The former presidential aide provided a detailed comparison of Nigeria's security situation before and after Buhari assumed office in 2015. He emphasized that 17 out of 27 local government areas in Borno State were completely under Boko Haram's control prior to Buhari's administration, with no government presence whatsoever in these areas.
Ahmad described the severe conditions that prevailed in Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa states during that period:
- No schools, hospitals, or markets functioning
- Borno's airport completely shut down
- No electricity or mobile networks operating
- Traditional rulers forced to flee their palaces
- Entire communities living under siege
- Strict 6 p.m. to dawn curfews enforced
Security Improvements Under Buhari
According to Ahmad, significant improvements occurred within Buhari's first two years in office. All 17 local government areas were liberated from terrorist control, government presence was restored, and displaced communities began returning to their homes.
The former aide highlighted that markets reopened, airports resumed operations, and traditional rulers returned to their palaces under Buhari's watch. He also recalled the pervasive fear that gripped northern states, including Kano, where thorough searches were mandatory at schools, markets, mosques, churches, and stadiums due to constant terrorist threats.
Ahmad particularly emphasized the transformation in Abuja, noting that before Buhari's administration, major roads leading to critical government facilities were barricaded following terrorist attacks on prominent locations including the UN building, Police Headquarters, Banex Plaza, Nyanya motor park, and major media houses.
"By the end of Buhari's first term in 2019, all those roadblocks in Abuja and elsewhere had been removed and Abuja had regained its normal life, something no one could imagine just a few years earlier," Ahmad stated.
A Call for Journalistic Responsibility
In his concluding remarks, Bashir Ahmad challenged Ayo Mario-Ese's revisionist narrative, asserting that the evidence of Buhari's achievements in combating terrorism is undeniable and documented in media records.
"Truth is not something you bend to fit a headline. Facts are stubborn. And in this case, the evidence of what President Buhari did to reclaim Nigeria from the grip of terror is not only undeniable, it is written in the blood, sweat and resilience of millions of Nigerians who lived through it," he emphasized.
The former presidential aide concluded that two short years of revisionism can never erase the reality of the security improvements achieved during Buhari's administration, reminding journalists of their responsibility to uphold truth and accuracy in their reporting.
