Nigeria’s Buhari vows to be ‘hard’ on terrorists

LAGOS, Nigeria

President Muhammadu Buhari vowed Thursday to go after terrorists and bandits in Nigeria’s northeast and northwest regions.

"I have ordered and we have started receiving some military hardware, aircraft, armored cars, helicopters and we are going to be very hard on them," he said during a visit to Maiduguri.

The president said the security situation in the northeast has improved compared to 2014 and 2019 when Boko Haram held territories in the region.

But Buhari condemned bandits' attacks in the northwest. He said people from the same culture and background have been killing each other.

"What for?" he asked. "We are going to deal with them.”

Buhari said Nigeria was placed in a position to liberate the African continent, and he urged the nation to work hard for the survival of the country.

Terrorists and bandits have recently stepped up attacks on communities in the north.

About 38 farmers were killed last weekend in an attack by suspected bandits in a village in northwest Kaduna State.​​​​​​​