(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
AMANPOUR: President Buhari, welcome to the
program.
program.
MUHAMMADU BUHARI, PRESIDENT OF NIGERIA:
Thank you.
AMANPOUR: You are here for an anti-corruption
summit and try to tackle this big scourge. Of
course it's been overshadowed by what the prime
minister said to the queen about your country and
Afghanistan, calling you "fantastically corrupt."
What is your reaction to that?
summit and try to tackle this big scourge. Of
course it's been overshadowed by what the prime
minister said to the queen about your country and
Afghanistan, calling you "fantastically corrupt."
What is your reaction to that?
BUHARI: Well, I think he's being honest about it.
He's talking about what he knows about the two of
us, Afghanistan and Nigeria, and by what we are
doing in Nigeria by the day. I don't think you can
fault him. I hope he did not address the press.
He said it privately and somehow you got to know
it.
He's talking about what he knows about the two of
us, Afghanistan and Nigeria, and by what we are
doing in Nigeria by the day. I don't think you can
fault him. I hope he did not address the press.
He said it privately and somehow you got to know
it.
AMANPOUR: That's true. He said it privately; he
didn't think that it was going to be broadcast but it
was.
And you are being very blunt and very honest
yourself by saying that he was right. And you told
me, Mr. President, during your campaign that we
have to kill corruption or else corruption will kill
Nigeria.
How are you doing?
Are you making any inroads?
didn't think that it was going to be broadcast but it
was.
And you are being very blunt and very honest
yourself by saying that he was right. And you told
me, Mr. President, during your campaign that we
have to kill corruption or else corruption will kill
Nigeria.
How are you doing?
Are you making any inroads?
BUHARI: Yes, we are. And those that are following
the developments see it. Nigerians now are acutely
aware that what we were saying during our
campaign, that was no exaggeration.
And a few instances where $2.1 billion --
the developments see it. Nigerians now are acutely
aware that what we were saying during our
campaign, that was no exaggeration.
And a few instances where $2.1 billion --
AMANPOUR: Billion?
BUHARI: -- billion, not million, dollars were voted
for military hard and software for the operations
against Boko Haram. Those responsible sat done
as if they were going to have lunch or dinner and
shared it and put it in their accounts.
for military hard and software for the operations
against Boko Haram. Those responsible sat done
as if they were going to have lunch or dinner and
shared it and put it in their accounts.
AMANPOUR: You're kidding.
The money that you designated to fight your major
terrorist group, Boko Haram, they put it in their
pockets?
The money that you designated to fight your major
terrorist group, Boko Haram, they put it in their
pockets?
BUHARI: Yes.
AMANPOUR: And what do you do with these people
who do that?
Do the heads roll in terms of losing their jobs,
getting fired?
who do that?
Do the heads roll in terms of losing their jobs,
getting fired?
BUHARI: Well, most of them are now behind the
bars. We're getting the documents corrected in a
way so that we can secure successful prosecution.
bars. We're getting the documents corrected in a
way so that we can secure successful prosecution.
AMANPOUR: You've also talked about having gone
through a lot of papers and found sort of legions of
so-called "ghost workers," people who are pulling
salaries who don't even exist or for jobs that don't
even exist. I think 23,000 of these so-called ghost
workers --
through a lot of papers and found sort of legions of
so-called "ghost workers," people who are pulling
salaries who don't even exist or for jobs that don't
even exist. I think 23,000 of these so-called ghost
workers --
BUHARI: So far.
AMANPOUR: Are there many thousands more?
BUHARI: I suspect, yes.
AMANPOUR: So you've been getting rid of them
systematically?
systematically?
BUHARI: We have to. They never existed, so the
question of getting rid of them does not arise. All
we are doing now, those who have been signing
those vouchers and pocketing the money, we have
to return it. It's a question of for how long have they
been doing it and for how many.
question of getting rid of them does not arise. All
we are doing now, those who have been signing
those vouchers and pocketing the money, we have
to return it. It's a question of for how long have they
been doing it and for how many.
AMANPOUR: You obviously knew that this
corruption was a major problem because you took
it as your main plank and platform during your
campaign.
Since becoming president, are you more shocked or
less shocked by the extent of corruption that's
crippled so many of the structures and
infrastructure of Nigeria over the years?
corruption was a major problem because you took
it as your main plank and platform during your
campaign.
Since becoming president, are you more shocked or
less shocked by the extent of corruption that's
crippled so many of the structures and
infrastructure of Nigeria over the years?
BUHARI: Much more shocked.
AMANPOUR: You're more shocked?
BUHARI: Yes.
AMANPOUR: The issue of Boko Haram is
something that the whole world is looking at
Nigeria for, particularly these poor girls, the Chibok
girls, who have become an international symbol --
something that the whole world is looking at
Nigeria for, particularly these poor girls, the Chibok
girls, who have become an international symbol --
AMANPOUR: -- for all that is wrong with this
terrorism, with this radical Islamism and with the
attack on civilians, especially girls. Give me a
status report of your promise that you would have
defeated Boko Haram by the first year of your
presidency.
terrorism, with this radical Islamism and with the
attack on civilians, especially girls. Give me a
status report of your promise that you would have
defeated Boko Haram by the first year of your
presidency.
BUHARI: Well, those following us closely will know
that, when we came in, Boko Haram was holding at
least 14 out of 774 local governments in Nigeria.
They pitched their flag and called it some sort of a
republic, a caliphate of some sort.
But now you ask the people of the state, Borno,
Boko Haram is not holding any particular local
government. But what they are doing, they have
gone down to technology, improvised explosive
devices for soft targets, such as mosques,
marketplaces, motor parks and just killed people en
masse.
That's what they are doing. So they have rapidly
alienated themselves to the public.
that, when we came in, Boko Haram was holding at
least 14 out of 774 local governments in Nigeria.
They pitched their flag and called it some sort of a
republic, a caliphate of some sort.
But now you ask the people of the state, Borno,
Boko Haram is not holding any particular local
government. But what they are doing, they have
gone down to technology, improvised explosive
devices for soft targets, such as mosques,
marketplaces, motor parks and just killed people en
masse.
That's what they are doing. So they have rapidly
alienated themselves to the public.
AMANPOUR: These girls are still captive, many of
them. Your government received a proof of life
video for about 15 of them earlier this year.
CNN, our colleague, Nima Elbagir, who was in
Nigeria, got a hold of this video. She was shown it.
And she then showed it to the families.
And this was the first they had seen of proof of life
of their lovely girls, of their missing girls.
Why did it take our colleague to have to show the
families?
Why didn't the government share this information
with them?
them. Your government received a proof of life
video for about 15 of them earlier this year.
CNN, our colleague, Nima Elbagir, who was in
Nigeria, got a hold of this video. She was shown it.
And she then showed it to the families.
And this was the first they had seen of proof of life
of their lovely girls, of their missing girls.
Why did it take our colleague to have to show the
families?
Why didn't the government share this information
with them?
BUHARI: I haven't seen that video. But even if I see
it, I will be very careful about showing it to the
family. There is no point to deliberately raise the
hope of the families if you can't meet them.
I saw the families as a group twice. One, they
came to visit my wife. Two, they came as a group
to see me. And the less I see them, the better for
my own emotional balance.
it, I will be very careful about showing it to the
family. There is no point to deliberately raise the
hope of the families if you can't meet them.
I saw the families as a group twice. One, they
came to visit my wife. Two, they came as a group
to see me. And the less I see them, the better for
my own emotional balance.
AMANPOUR: It makes you sad.
BUHARI: Yes. I try to imagine my 14-year-old
daughter, 14 to 18, missing for more than two
years, trying to imagine what condition are they in.
A lot of the families would rather see their graves
than imagine the condition they're in now.
daughter, 14 to 18, missing for more than two
years, trying to imagine what condition are they in.
A lot of the families would rather see their graves
than imagine the condition they're in now.
AMANPOUR: It's tragic.
BUHARI: It's tragic.
AMANPOUR: President Buhari, thank you very much
indeed for joining us.
indeed for joining us.
BUHARI: Thank you, Ms. Amanpour.
(END VIDEOTAPE).
(END VIDEOTAPE).
http://edition.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1605/12/
ampr.01.html
ampr.01.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20hkr7UYgM8
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