HURIWA: Buhari’s Govt Totally Destroyed Nigeria

•Slams Shehu, says ex-president should be in jail

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), has issued a scathing response to a former presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu’s recent defense of the Muhammadu Buhari administration, saying the former president totally destroyed Nigeria and should be in jail were the country civilised.

In a strongly worded critique, the organisation challenged the attempt to present Buhari’s tenure as a successful battle against corruption and economic collapse.

HURIWA argued that the reality of Buhari’s rule was far removed from the positive image painted by Shehu.

It said the immediate past administration destroyed Nigeria from every angle and committed horrendous crimes against humanity that rather than speak and insult the sensibility of Nigerians, Garba Shehu and his ilk speaking for Buhari should cover their faces in shame for playing a role in the epic economic, security and social demolition of Nigeria by the Muhammadu Buhari’s misadventures in Politics.

HURIWA, in a press statement by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, yesterday, cited numerous instances of corruption and mismanagement that unfolded during President Buhari’s time in office.

Foremost among the issues was the controversial fuel subsidy regime, which, according to HURIWA, continuously drained the national treasury due to discrepancies in reported fuel consumption figures.

The organisation also pointed to the alarming scale of crude oil theft, which prevented Nigeria from meeting its OPEC production quotas, severely impacting the nation’s revenue.

HURIWA expressed astonishment that during Buhari’s tenure, no public entity, including the president, as the substantive minister of Petroleum Resources, the Minister of Finance, Budget, and National Planning, or the National Assembly, with oversight powers over public expenditure, could accurately state the quantity of fuel consumed daily in Nigeria.

“This lack of clarity led to substantial discrepancies in subsidy payments, indicating massive corruption condoned by Buhari’s government over eight years, despite recurring demands for accountability,” he said.

Furthermore, HURIWA criticised Buhari government’s response to humanitarian crises, particularly in conflict-affected regions.

It cited corruption allegations in various poverty alleviation programs, including the N-Power scandal, Conditional Cash Transfer, Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme, and the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme.

HURIWA also mentioned the alleged misappropriation of funds intended for feeding school children during the COVID-19 lockdown, further eroding public trust in these programs.

The organisation contended that, despite campaigning on an anti-corruption platform, the Buhari administration failed to effectively address these issues, with corruption allegations plaguing various sectors and undermining the government’s credibility.