NIGERIA’S Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed has applauded President Muhammadu Buhari over his commitment towards ending insecurity in Nigeria.
He disclosed this during a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, saying that the security situation would have been worse but for decisive actions taken by the president.
“With the way the insurgents were going before this administration came into office, with their control of a vast swath of land the size of Belgium, with their freewheeling attacks in almost a dozen states, including the Federal Capital Territory, which was hit at least five times, perhaps they could have achieved their aim of declaring an Islamic state in Nigeria if President Buhari had not acted decisively to tackle the cankerworm of insecurity of any hue.
“After all, in 2014, Boko Haram declared a caliphate in Gwoza after capturing Bama and Gamboru as well as other towns and villages in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa. They installed their own Emirs, collected taxes and flew their flag before the military dislodged them,” he said.
The minister also said Buhari had provided the leadership required to tackle insecurity in the country. He noted that no administration had supplied hardware in the fight against insecurity as the present government.
“No administration in Nigeria’s recent history has provided the security agencies with the hardware needed to tackle insecurity as that of President Buhari, in addition to raising the morale of our security men and women.
“Only last week, Mr. President commissioned an armada of naval boats and ships in the latest effort to enhance our nation’s maritime security. The army, the air force and the police, among others, have also been receiving modern hardware to strengthen their arsenal,” he said.
While admitting that the security situation in the country was indeed a cause for worry, he reiterated that the Buhari-led administration had done better than previous governments.
“Yes, the security situation has continued to pose a great challenge, but amidst the cacophony of voices – some genuinely concerned about the situation and others ready to exploit it for selfish ends – it is easy to forget where we are coming from.
“Today, we only look at the current situation, without wondering what would have been, had this President not taken the bull by the horns as far as security is concerned,” he said.
Mohammed said the present administration was doing an excellent job in tackling insecurity, but cases of terrorism, kidnapping and banditry are being recorded daily across different regions of the country.
Earlier this week, a member of the Kaduna State House of Assembly Rilwanu Gagadau had been attacked by terrorists on the Kaduna-Zaria Highway along with other motorists plying the road at the time.
He had died during the attack, and his body recovered two days later.
Ijeoma Opara is a journalist with The ICIR. Reach her via [email protected] or @ije_le on Twitter.