President Buhari Booed In Maiduguri; We Don’t Want You, They Tell Him

By Gideon Njoku

It was not the type of welcome any President would expect to receive from his subjects. Especially, a President who went to pay a condolence visit to his people, his subjects.

But that was what confronted President Muhammadu Buhari in Maiduguri, Borno State capital Wednesday afternoon. Hostility. Rejection. Boos.

The President, coming back from Ethiopia, where he had gone to an African Union, AU, meeting, which lasted for about five days, had flown to Maiduguri. He had a choice of flying to Abuja.

But in his absence, something outrageous has happened. His subjects, 30, and still counting, had been slaughtered in a most gruesome manner, just

by the gate of Maiduguri.

They were victims of Boko Haram, an Islamic sect, which activities have turned Nigeria, and Nigerians, inside out and upside down, and made the country hell on earth.

In the attack, those killed included a baby.

18 vehicles – trailers, buses and cars were razed.

And, the insurgents took along with them, as hostages, three bus loads of women and children.

Many of the victims were burnt beyond  recognition, including, allegedly, students of the University of Maiduguri,

The dead and abducted were travellers, either going to Maiduguri, or passing through it. But they were stuck in Auno, a village 24km to Maidugiri.

They were caught by the no-passage order stamped on Maidugiri.

For the fear of Boko Haram, the Military had erected a gate at Auno, and, warned all motorists not to pass through the gate after 5.00pm. The gate opens again, 6.00am. Any vehicle that arrives after 5.00pm, packs by the gate because the soldiers had locked the gate.

So, on Monday, February 10, scores of vehicles had parked, gate locked, waiting for 6.00am.

But by 10.00pm, tragedy struck.

Gun-wielding Boko Haram insurgents, in trucks, visited.

They killed, and maimed, and burnt, and abducted. By the time they left, an unimaginable agony  gripped the country.

Outrage reigned. And, anger rose to high heavens.

From Ethiopia, Buhari expressed outrage and indignation. He condemned the heinous act. And made the usual promises of dealing with the sect, and freeing all abducted children. He called them cowards. He also made the same claims – ‘Nigeria is defeating Boko Haram. The sect has been degraded. He, then, sympathized with the government and people of the state.

On Wednesday, therefore, on his way back to Nigeria from Ethiopia, he decided to fly into Maiduguri, to sympathize with the government and people of Borno. That was the right thing to do. But a shock awaited him.

The visit went awry.

As his convoy drove into town from the airport, the people’s anger rose to high heavens. They revolted. Instead of the cheers and waves of the hands, they booed President Buhari and his entourage. Ba mu so,(we don’t want, we don’t want), they chanted and screamed.

Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum, blames the Military for the tragedy. The military blames the motorists, accusing them of arriving late, and parking carelessly. Nigerians are helpless, and asking: Why lock the gate if you will abandon the people? The military says they lock the gate to stop insurgents from invading Maiduguri. They have now shifted the time to lock the gate from 5.00pm to 4.00pm. They say only 10 people were killed in the attack.

Only?  Nigerians ask. Isn’t one life enough?, they query.

But for the people, the buck stops on the President’s table. They are helpless. And, they are tired. Which is why they booed their President.

Perhaps, the booing of the President, which video has gone viral, will mark a turning point in the war – the final routing of the sect. Perhaps.