FORMER Head of State, Gen Yakubu Gowon, met in a closed session with President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential villa, Abuja on Tuesday to discuss issues of national importance.
He told State House correspondents after the meeting that the Federal Government was yet to find any credible information on the location of Chibok school girls still being held in the captivity of Boko Haram insurgents.
Speaking on his discussion with the president including the fate of the girls and government’s effort to rescue them, he said the government needed to get credible information about the whereabouts of the girls and also on those that would assist the government achieve that.
According to him, “I believe that the government is certainly determined to ensure that a number of these girls are brought back home safely as soon as possible.
“To achieve that, certain credibility must be established of our sources on information on their location. But yet, no one knows where these girls are.
“And all these information that you have been getting, I don’t know their sources, but all efforts at engaging the international media and sources are necessary so that this matter can be resolved once and for all.”
Gowon said he also discussed the economic situation of the country and Nigerians’ impatience because of apparent lack of results.
He said people were worried they were not seeing the result of the war against corruption because culprits had not been successfully prosecuted.
His words: “And of course, we discussed the general affairs of the country, the problems of the country, his fight against corruption, and all the efforts that he is making to deal with it.
“And of course, the impatience of the public to see results of the fight which have yet to be found, since people have not been prosecuted yet. That would soon begin.
“These are some of the issues we talked about. One appreciates his efforts and determination to rid the country of corruption, which is one of the problems that have held the country down and has created serious setbacks to the country both nationally and internationally.”
He further stated: “Again, we talked generally on the country and efforts the government is making to give the people what they want to see that don’t have money,
“But please remember we used to sell petroleum at $150 per barrel, but what is it today? It’s merely around $30 per barrel and the amount of crude oil, we used to produce over two million, now it has gone down to about one million because of the problem we have been having when people have been blowing pipelines in the Niger Delta area.
“So, we have problem and there isn’t enough money to be able to go round. So, very soon, with the efforts the government is making to get things back to normal, making contacts with the Avengers and other aggrieved militants in the Niger Delta who are creating havoc there, we hope that all will be well soon.”
Gowon said he had also come to inform the president that he was on vacation and would be travelling out of the country.
He said: “I have come to see the President, to say hello to him. I haven’t seen him for quite some time. This time, I have come to see him to pay my respect to him and to let him know that I’m going out of the country on vacation and my programme of Nigeria Prays in the UK and the USA towards the end of this month and early next month.
“So, I have come to let him know that I would be out of the country. In case of he wants me, he knows that I’m out and he is going to pay my way back, if he wants me back for any programme.”
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