Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari, last week, gave an exclusive interview to the Chief foreign correspondent of Daily Telegraph, Colin Freeman. Here is the full record of his remarks as published by the paper.

Are you willing to talk to Boko Haram about the missing Chibok schoolgirls?

As long as we can establish the bona fides of the leadership of Boko Haram, we are prepared as a government to discuss with them how to get the girls back. But we have not established any evidence of a credible leadership.

Is Abubakr Shekau still the leader of Boko Haram?

I receive conflicting information about the status of Shekau. Some say he has been removed and replaced by a less charismatic terrorist leader.
I think he must be on the run, because out of the 14 local government districts that Boko Haram used to call their caliphate, they now do not control any now. They are scattered around the Sambisa forest and they have resorted to attacking soft targets, people in churches, mosques and market places, and using improvised explosive devices.

Are you seeking any further help from the West in the fight against Boko Haram?

I was invited by the G7 during my visit to Europe to brief them on the issue of security, Boko Haram, and I did so. I subsequently sent Nigeria’s ‘shopping list’ in terms of the infrastructure destroyed. That is schools, medical facilities and other institutions, bridges blown up, and the estimates of repair.

Did you also ask for Western military help?
Yes, I did, but I don’t want to give any details of that in public at present. As you know, we already have foreign military help in terms of training missions.

And are you asking for additional military help beyond training missions?
I am not asking for any of that yet. I want to be briefed first on the situation from the Nigerian military and also the police.

The previous government used mercenaries from South Africa in the fight against Boko Haram, with some success. Would you consider doing the same?

I personally was very disappointed that the previous government resorted to mercenaries. I was also disappointed by the recent revelations of how military allocations were also misappropriated. How is it that Nigeria’s military, which has a good record across west Africa, cannot claim back 14 out of 774 local governments from Boko Haram? They have to ask for mercenaries from South Africa? How the mighty has fallen!”

What is your feeling on the wider terror threats across west and north Africa at the moment, with terrorism attacks taking place in Mali and Burkina Faso?

I think we should be very worried because with technology, Boko Haram and other terrorists have become very mobile in all continents, not only in Africa but also in Europe, America and Asia.

For Africa and the Sahel, the demise of Gaddafi’s regime led to a lot of armed and trained people, especially those from the Sahel, being dispersed. Fighting is the only thing they know, and they are available at a fee. The danger is there, and I am pleased that Europe has realised it too.

There have been reports that Nigerians have been fighting for Isil in the Libyan city of Sirte. Is that true?

I haven’t seen confirmed reports about that, but I know that it is not only in Sirte – there are also Nigerians finding their way to Syria too. I don’t know which side, but they may be fighing for Isil. How many, I have no idea.

Have you ever had reports of people from the Nigerian diaspora in the UK being involved in Boko Haram in any way?

No, but if I do, I will immediately raise the issue.

A number of Nigerians use the migrant routes to come to the UK to claim asylum, saying their lives are at risk from Boko Haram. Is is legitimate for them to do so?

Some Nigerians claim is that life is too difficult back home, but then again some Nigerians have also made it difficult for Europeans and Americans to accept them because of the number of Nigerians in different prisons all over the world accused of drug trafficking or human trafficking. I don’t think Nigerians have anybody to blame. They can remain at home. Their services are required to rebuild the country. If their countrymen misbehaved, the best thing for them is to stay at home and encourage the credibility of the nation.

Do you think that Nigerians have an image problem abroad?

Certainly. But we are on our way to salvage that. We will encourage our countrymen to stay at home, work hard and make a respectable living at home.

Your government has launched a major corruption probe over claims that billions of dollars of oil cash went missing during the previous administration. Some suspects have been arrested in the UK. Are you satisfied with the co-operation you are getting from the UK authorities?

One of the biggest suspects is in Britain now, although I am not going to name that person. But Britain has earned our respect in the way it deals with these matters. Our only problem is that it seems to be too thorough and it takes too much time. If there are obvious cases, like bank accounts, infrastructure houses and hotels, I would hope they could do it quicker, so that we can claim these things back promptly

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/02/full-telegraph-interview-with-buhari/

After going through the entire interview you wonder how this illiterate got himself to power.

So where did PMB call nigerians criminals?
Some senators like Ben Murray Bruce are so pathetic that despite their positions,wealth and contacts,they are no better than members of "free newspaper readers association" at various newspaper stands who only read headlines and are ready to fight over issues,the details or context, they can't grasp because they can't afford to buy such newspapers to read d full details and get d truth.
There are also other Nigerians so blinded by their loss and bitter that they have ceded their ability to think to the hordes of still bitter souls,ethnic jingoists and sycophants of the recently bygone era.
It's a pity.

TippyTop:
After going through the entire interview you wonder how this illiterate got himself to power.

Grow up kid. You just go around insulting someone that doesn't know anything about your existence just because you want to get some "likes" on the forum. Now what is wrong with the President's succulent answers?

[s]

fiizznation:
Grow up kid. You just go around insulting someone that doesn't know anything about your existence just because you want to get some "likes" on the forum. Now what is wrong with the President's succulent answers?

[/s]
Not surprised, I expected that answer from a ZAN member. (Zombie Association of Nairaland)

Pls where did Bubu call Naija corrupt?

Lalasticlala Buhari interview has arrived oooo

[s]

TippyTop:
After going through the entire interview you wonder how this illiterate got himself to power.

[/s]
I am sure you did not read the interview you just wanted to do FTC

Where in the whole of that transcript of the interview did PMB called Nigerians criminals?

Ben Bruce indeed has the face Obama and the brain of Obanikoro.

Lalasticlala

Can you put this on front page.

The full transcript is totally different from all the information previously presented on the Front page

Go on soun


#SaiBaba

Ok sir.

We all know Nigeria go better if hunger no kill us before then so just carry on and the jails are still empty..na small small robbers full there...

Abeg put big robber there join na hin me i want.

Ok na

President Muhammadu Buhari

Mr president does not have much time to waste. hasten d process make pple enta na him be Buhari own.

You are an idiot! I'm sure you didn't even read the whole thing, otherwise you'd realize he actually made sense

TippyTop:
After going through the entire interview you wonder how this illiterate got himself to power.

doctokwus:
So where did PMB call nigerians criminals?
Some senators like Ben Murray Bruce are so pathetic that despite their positions,wealth and contacts,they are no better than members of "free newspaper readers association" at various newspaper stands who only read headlines and are ready to fight over issues,the details or context, they can't grasp because they can't afford to buy such newspapers to read d full details and get d truth.
There are also other Nigerians so blinded by their loss and bitter that they have ceded their ability to think to the hordes of still bitter souls,ethnic jingoists and sycophants of the recently bygone era.
It's a pity.

[size=15pt]"Some Nigerians claim is that life is too difficult back home, but then again some Nigerians have also made it difficult for Europeans and Americans to accept them because of the number of Nigerians in different prisons all over the world accused of drug trafficking or human trafficking".[/size]


Looool... you sure say u go school??
If you did, biko did u graduate??

besides, the headlines or news caption would probably read

Nigerians in different prisons all over the world accused of drug trafficking or human trafficking- Buhari

anyone with a slight training in public speech would know this is a major gaffe!
you cannot be wooing foreign investors to a country you deride on several occasions!

can this b true, bcoz all this interview saga no be im go put food for my table ooo, uptil now no Salary, na wa ooo

""Is Abubakr Shekau still the leader of Boko Haram? I receive conflicting information about the status of Shekau. Some say he has been removed and replaced by a less charismatic terrorist leader. I think he must be on the run, because out of the 14 local government districts that Boko Haram used to call their caliphate, they now do not control any now. They are scattered around the Sambisa forest and they have resorted to attacking soft targets, people in churches, mosques and market places, and using improvised explosive devices. ""

I wonder what they were destroying before...

The written version looks like it has been edited thoroughly. I want the video or audio confirmation because I don't trust Buhari nor APC

TippyTop:
After going through the entire interview you wonder how this illiterate got himself to power.

E-wailer spotted

You can hardly see the brilliance in his interview.

Hmmmm.

I took time to read through the telegraph interview and I was trying to spot where buhari tagged nigerians to be "criminals" but I couldn't spot such statement in his words.

I don't know where Bruce and his wailing goons got the message from that PMB described Nigerians as criminals.

""" Is Abubakr Shekau still the leader of Boko Haram?
I receive conflicting information about the status of Shekau. Some say he has been removed and replaced by a less charismatic terrorist leader. I think he must be on the run, because out of the 14 local government districts that Boko Haram used to call their caliphate, they now do not control any now. They are scattered around the Sambisa forest and they have resorted to attacking soft targets, people in churches, mosques and market places, and using improvised explosive devices."""





I wonder what they were attacking before ...

Super1Star:
Where in the whole of that transcript of the interview did PMB called Nigerians criminals?

Ben Bruce indeed has the face Obama and the brain of Obanikoro.

Definitely....

Super1Star:
Where in the whole of that transcript of the interview did PMB called Nigerians criminals?

Ben Bruce indeed has the face Obama and the brain of Obanikoro.

I beg to disagree, this statement is more of an insult to the man called Obanikoro. In a bid to present himself as an active crusader, Ben Bruce keeps shooting some embarrassing blanks based on silly hearsays from twitter. Since the day the story broke out that 'Buhari called Nigerians criminals,' I have been searching and asking people to show me where exactly and how exactly Buhari made the statement.

Yes we know PMB isn't blessed with the skills for public speeches or diplomacy, but it has become a more than common occurrence these days for one lousy wailer to just sit behind a laptop screen, create a laughable interpretation to a simple statement by PMB and then starts passing it off to his friends on social media as fact. If believing and acting on such unverifiable information can be permitted for students, youths, okada men etc, sometimes I just wonder why a person like Ben Bruce, even though highly placed, doesn't bother to confirm information he sees on twitter and other social media platforms before he joins in issuing so called 'common sense' statements. Apparently when one thinks he's so smart and has more common sense than every one else, he's bound to dance himself into a self-dug pit of shame.

Dullard In Chief..You want to dialogue with boko haram, but you want to "scatter, destroy, bam bozo ND militants and Igbos...

If only my ss brothers can see the "devil" behind this dullard...

magicminister:


[size=15pt]"Some Nigerians claim is that life is too difficult back home, but then again some Nigerians have also made it difficult for Europeans and Americans to accept them because of the number of Nigerians in different prisons all over the world accused of drug trafficking or human trafficking".[/size]


Looool... you sure say u go school??
If you did, biko did u graduate??

Is he lying>?

He tried

wristbangle:
I took time to read through the telegraph interview and I was trying to spot where buhari tagged nigerians to be "criminals" but I couldn't spot such statement in his words.

I don't know where Bruce and his wailing goons got the message that PMB described Nigerians as criminals from.

I wonder what GOOGLE is for...