Borno Killings: Buhari Flies Straight To Maiduguri From Addis Ababa 

President Muhammadu Buhari was expected to fly from Addis Ababa to Abuja on Wednesday, but instead rerouted his flight to Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, to sympathize with the families of those killed in Monday’s Boko Haram attack in the Auno area of the state.

Buhari had departed Abuja for Addis-Ababa, Ethiopia, to participate in the 33rd Ordinary Session of the Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) on Friday, February 7.

The senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, Garba Shehu, said Buhari arrived in Maiduguri on Wednesday afternoon.

Shehu said in a tweet: “12:45pm. President Buhari, aboard the BBJ from Addis Ababa just landed in Maiduguri. 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.”

Boko Haram insurgents were said to have killed over 20 travelers who were stranded at a military checkpoint in Auno.

While away in Addis Ababa, Buhari had described the attack as “cowardly and murderous”.

“The commitment of this administration to protect the lives of Nigerians will not be derailed by the cowardly and indiscriminate violence against innocent people by Boko Haram terrorists,’’ the president had said.

He said the “terrorists are clearly on a back foot and their days are numbered,’’ adding that “As our armed forces continue to receive more hardware and intelligence to counter our current security challenges, the remnants of Boko Haram will ultimately be crushed. The peculiar challenges of asymmetric warfare notwithstanding, our armed forces are ever determined to defeat these enemies of humanity.’’