MINISTER of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has described the killing of a British national and her Nigerian friend at a tourist site in Kaduna as a setback in the efforts by the present administration to promote tourism in Nigeria.
Mohammed’s remarks is the first official reaction of the federal government to the attack that took place on Friday at the famous Kajuru Castle Resort in Kaduna State. Faye Mooney, a British aid worker, and her Nigerian companion, Matthew Oguche, were murdered by unknown gunmen while three other persons were abducted.
“The dastardly attack that led to the death of Ms Faye Mooney, a British aid worker, and Mr Matthew Oguche, a Nigerian, while visiting the popular resort is a setback to efforts to promote tourism in the country,” the News Agency of Nigeria quoted Mohammed on Tuesday, four days after the attack.
“We commiserate with the families and friends of Ms Mooney and Mr Oguche. We assure that the security agencies will leave no stone unturned in their efforts to apprehend the killers and bring them to justice.”
Mohammed further pledged that the Nigerian government “will not relent until all parts of the country are made safe for all, whether they are tourists, business people or ordinary Nigerians who just want to live under an atmosphere of peace and security”.
He claimed that the “the level of violent attacks, banditry and kidnappings was being reduced nationwide” thanks to “better intelligence gathering and increased collaboration by the security agencies”.
Kaduna, Katsina and Zamfara states, all in the North Western region of Nigeria, have been plagued by severe insecurity in recent times.