The Presidency has reacted to claims by Colonel Sambo Dasuki (retd), a former National Security Adviser (NSA) to former President Goodluck Jonathan, that the previous administration cleared the North-East of Boko Haram terrorists to make elections possible in 2015.
Dasuki, who is currently being tried for his roles in the alleged diversion of $2.1bn meant for arms procurement, made this known in a foreword he wrote in a newly-published book, 'Boko Haram Media War - An Encounter with the Spymaster,' written by a media consultant and public relations professional, Yushau Shuaib.
However, in his reply, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said that the claim was false and "an attempt to deceive Nigerians with blatant lies," in order to rewrite history, adding that government would read through the entire text and make its response.
Shehu further added that the monster of terrorism became bigger while terrorists got more daring under the previous government due to the administration's incompetence and misgovernance.
The statement read: "The claim as contained in a new book by a journalist is just another unfortunate attempt by inglorious Nigerians to rewrite the history of our country in such a way as to cover the sins of the past.
"As a public relations man for former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, the author did not surprise anyone by dismissing the acclaimed successes of the Muhammadu Buhari administration in the fight against Boko Haram, claiming that this government simply took the glory for the achievements of the previous government in the war against terrorism.
"For those interested in the facts, as at the time elections were held in March 2015, a number of local government areas in North-East were completely under the control of Boko Haram, to the extent that elections in those areas had to be moved to safe areas.
"The residents of areas such as Gwoza, Banki, Kukawa, Monguno, Bulumba, Baga, Gamboru Ngala, Dikwa, Mafa, etc., were able to vote, not in their hometowns but in refugee camps in other parts of Borno State, under special arrangements by INEC.
"Since the Buhari administration came into power, however, many of those residents have returned to their homes and Boko Haram eradicated from their areas."
"It is for trespasses like these that the Buhari administration is determined to get to the bottom of the $2.1 billion arms procurement scandal and ensure that no single one of the culprits goes scot free.
"The truth, as a matter of fact, is that the monster of terrorism got bigger and more daring due to the incompetence and misgovernance of the last administration and no amount of lies and fiction can change that."
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