Buhari’s Statement On Southeast Laughable – Ex-lawmaker, Ayika

Valentine Ayika, a former member of the House of Representatives from Anambra State has said that President Muhammadu Buhari’s statement threatening Southeast people was laughable and insensitive.

Recall that the president while reacting to the agitation in the region threatened that the region will soon have what they are calling for. The offending comments said “those who fought in the three-year civil war, which included the 78-year-old head of state, will treat those “misbehaving” today “in the language they understand.” The comment has since generated reactions across the country.

According to the former lawmaker, “First of all, the statement for me is laughable, it doesn’t smack of what is expected of a president of a country.

“What did e mean by ‘criminals have been given enough time? Actions speak louder than voice. The law is there. If people break the law, they should be brought to book. So, do you need to tell somebody that, ‘I have given you enough time’? Can a criminal change? A thief will always go back to the den because that is what he is used to, so there is really nothing like—it really doesn’t make any sense talking about the people who have been given enough time to change or not to change.

“The only possible sensible thing in that statement is saying the criminals will meet their waterloo.. that is what we want to hear, and it is not really about talking about it, it is about bringing the culprits to book. Arresting and prosecuting the criminals. It is about making them go through the provisions and prescriptions of the law.

“It is not all about talking and talking, we have had so much talk but no action.

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Speaking on the effect of deploying the military to the region, he said, ” When the police that is responsible for internal security is overwhelmed, you can deploy the military to assist you. Of course, when you are deploying the military to assist them, you must be sure that the military you are deploying is properly instructed on what to do, and how to properly deal with civilians. A military man is trained to shoot, to kill. So you have to be sure that they are in the proper frame of mind to deal with the civilians.

“I have seen cases where you will have to park your vehicle and hands up to walk across the checkpoints. What have they done wrong? You can’t be a prisoner in your own country.”