Former presidential spokesman Femi Adesina has shared a powerful and emotional moment from the late President Muhammadu Buhari’s leadership during one of Nigeria’s darkest security challenges.
In a heartfelt tribute following Buhari’s death, Adesina revealed that during the peak of insurgency in 2021, the former president gave a no-nonsense directive to the nation’s top military leaders — a moment that showed just how deeply frustrated and concerned he was about the terror ravaging the country.
According to Adesina, Buhari, in a closed-door meeting with the security chiefs, spoke with fire in his heart and tears behind his words. He said:
“Wipe out these people. Kill them. They are haters of humanity. They don’t deserve to live. Nigerians love me, they trust me, that’s why they keep voting for me. Wipe them out. Kill them.”
At the time, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, gave his word. He assured Buhari that once the long-awaited military equipment arrived, the Armed Forces would finish the job.
But fate had other plans.
Just a week after that intense meeting, tragedy struck. Gen. Attahiru lost his life in a military plane crash — a heavy and painful blow to Nigeria’s war against terrorism.
Adesina described Buhari as a leader who truly cared for the ordinary Nigerian, even though he didn’t always show his emotions publicly. But in that meeting, the passion, the pain, and the urgency in his voice were undeniable.
For many, this revelation offers a glimpse into Buhari’s behind-the-scenes struggles — the weight of leadership and the burden of protecting millions in a time of fear.“Wipe Them Out” – Femi Adesina Recalls Buhari’s Strong Words Against Terrorists in 2021
