President Muhammadu Buhari has said his administration will remain resolute to continue with programmes and plans despite the fact that the persistent insecurity in certain parts of the country may have threatened to undo the incremental gains.

The President said this in his statement to the nation on January 1, 2022 released on Friday, wishing all a very happy and prosperous New Year.

Buhari said it was on record that this administration had invested heavily in re-equipping our military in line with upgrading the platforms and firepower required to tackle the current challenges being faced in the country.

He said this was a follow up to the promise to re-energise and reorganise the security apparatus and personnel of the armed forces and the police.

Buhari stated that despite the challenges in 2021, it was also a year in which the administration executed successfully, key projects, programmes, and initiatives to fulfil the promises made under the Security, Economy Anti-corruption, SEA, agenda.

He urged all citizens to hope and envision a year of continued progress against “our combined challenges arising from security and socio-economic issues as we welcome 2022”.

He said: “As it is said, the past is but a story told, the future will still be written in gold. Let us be united in our fight to keep our nation united against all odds and with gratitude, celebrate life in this new epoch.

“We remain grateful to the Almighty God for yet another Year attained as a country, united by a common destiny and resolute in our determination to overcome the several challenges along the path to build the great and prosperous Nation of our dream.

“The persistent insecurity in certain parts of the country may have threatened to unravel the incremental gains achieved in the real sectors of the economy and in the administration’s overall objective to position the nation on the irreversible trajectory of sustainable growth and progress, but I assure you that we will remain resolute in our commitments and shall continue to press ahead with our programmes and plans.

“The path to nationhood is often fraught with unpredictable difficulties and challenges, and most tried and tested nations have often prevailed through dogged determination, resilience, concerted commitment to unity, and the conviction that the whole of the nation, standing together against all odds, is by far greater and would ultimately be more prosperous and viable than the sum of its distinguishable parts.

“There is no doubt that the issue of security remains at the front burner of priority areas that this administration has given utmost attention to….

“The net results of these efforts have been the number of insurgents and bandits who have willingly surrendered to our Security Forces and continue to do so through various channels and the Safe Corridor created for that purpose.

“Government, however, realizes that victory on the battlefield is just one aspect of sustainable victory. We know that to fully win this war, we must also win the peace and real security lies in winning the hearts and minds of the affected citizens. To this end, working with our international partners and neighbouring countries, we would be deploying multi-faceted solutions that will be targeted at addressing human security at the grassroots, before it leads to insecurity.”

The President, who remembered the gallant Military, Police Officers, and other security agents who had lost their lives in the cause of protecting the territorial integrity of this nation against both internal and external aggressors, assured their families that their sacrifices would not be in vain.

He also commiserated with Nigerians who had lost loved ones as a result of insecurity in different parts of the country, saying “Every life matters and every single death caused by any form of insecurity is a matter of personal concern to me both as a citizen and as the President of this great country.

“We remain fully committed to upholding the constitutional provisions that protect all Nigerians from any form of internal and external aggression.”

On the economy, Buhari said Nigeria had shown a high level of resilience to record some significant achievements despite the turbulence that had characterized our economy and the global economy, stating that “the lessons we have learned and keep learning from COVID-19 have encouraged us to intensify efforts to mitigate its socio-economic effects on our nation.”

The President said that in year 2022 and going forward, his administration would intentionally leverage ICT platforms to create jobs, while ensuring that the diversification of the economy created more support to other emerging sectors.

He added: “I am proud to announce that several foreign investors are taking advantage of our ranking as one of the leading start-up ecosystems in Africa to invest in our digital economy.

“We have given the utmost priority to fighting corruption and other related offenses which have been a bane to the growth and prosperity of our dear nation. We have made major strides and breakthroughs through the innovative use of technology and forensics in the investigative and prosecutorial procedures with commendable results to show that the anti-corruption drive of our administration is succeeding.

“In the meantime, the accomplishments that have been recorded so far can be traced to the dedication of the nation’s anti-corruption Agencies who have received the necessary support needed to effectively prosecute their duties.”