Reports say that protesters on Wednesday booed President Muhammadu Buhari when he travelled to Maiduguri to “sympathise” over recent Boko Haram attacks.
A video circulated on social media showed hundreds of protesters on the road while the president’s convoy drove past.
“Buhari, we don’t like you. We don’t want you anymore,” the protesters chanted in Hausa.
Borno State, including Maiduguri, is a stronghold of Mr Buhari’s APC which overwhelmingly won the elections in the state in 2015 and 2019.
The worsening security situation in the state appears, however, to be turning the residents against the president who enjoyed tremendous support there.
Mr Buhari travelled to the state directly from Addis Ababa where he went for an African Union programme.
“He is paying a sympathy visit to the government and people of Borno following the recent horrific incident in which BH terrorists killed several travelers,” Garba Shehu, Mr Buhari’s spokesperson wrote.
Mr Shehu made reference to the recent Boko Haram attack in Auno where over 30 travellers were killed by Boko Haram after their vehicles were stopped from entering Maiduguri after 5:00 p.m by soldiers.
The Newshawk reported how the Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, blamed the military for the attack.
“We have made repeated plea to the military to re-establish a base in Auno since it is one of the flashpoints of the Boko Haram, but nothing has been done to that effect,” the governor said.
Mr Buhari was immediately driven into Maiduguri town amidst tight security mounted by the army and the police.
During the visit, Mr Buhari told the Maiduguri residents that his government was committed to improving the security in Borno State.
“I assure you that improvement in security will be pursued vigorously,” Mr Buhari was quoted as saying by Garba Shehu.
Watch the video below:
