The Federal Government on Wednesday pushed back on suggestions that it had become overwhelmed by worsening insecurity issues in the country.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, while addressing correspondents after the weekly meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, insisted that successes are being recorded by the military as could be seen in the media.
While confirming the latest attack on the military formation in Kaduna, he, however, accused the media of providing the oxygen required by terrorists to fester by publicising their atrocities.
The Minister stated: “Yes, there was an attack on a military base in Kaduna state but what was not reported was the very timely and efficient manner it was repelled, and the huge casualty suffered by the bandits/terrorists. I also have a video of the area interdiction by the military.
“I keep saying that this is an asymmetrical war in which we are not in liberty only to tell you in detail, how the camps of the bandits are being decimated daily. It is a war of attrition, but our military is living to the billing, our military is working day and night to ensure that the terrorists are neutralised. We will continue to give information on the progress we are making in our fight against terrorism but we can assure you that we are on top of this matter.
“But unfortunately, it is the story of second-guessing that is going on and we will continue to give relevant information on the progress we’re making in our fight against terrorism. But we can assure you we’re on top of this matter and in any country in the world, while we are fighting terrorists, the oxygen they need is what is being provided daily today, which is they want to occupy the front page of every paper, they want to carry out spectacular attacks even when they are down.
“This is where I think we also seek your support in understanding the mentality of terrorists, that even when they are dying, they will look for the soft underbelly that will keep them relevant, and enable them to get more money from their sponsors, more support from their sponsors. But clearly the last three, four, five days, the military recorded massive victories against terrorists and bandits, either in the northeast or in the Kaduna, Niger axis.”
On the Federal Government’s perception of Governor Nasir el-Rufai’s statement that the terrorists could be tracked and dealt with, the Minister said: “I know that on Monday, there was a very successful area interjection, where scores of not hundreds of bandits/terrorists were eliminated.
“Even when we’re able to identify where the bandits are, sometimes out of fear of collateral damage to the innocent civilians, you choose the time you want to strike. But I just want to assure you that the administration is not unmindful of your anxieties and your concerns. But probably because we are in charge, we can assure you that there’s really, really no cause to feel that the government is overwhelmed, not at all.
“We are not overwhelmed and the last few days I think have confirmed that. But unfortunately, when we inflict these victories on the bandits for many reasons, we do not come out and say we have killed so many. Because it’s continuous.
“But very soon Nigerians would feel the impact of these victories. Already thousands in the northeast, in particular, have surrendered, we have decimated their camps, we have destroyed their equipment, destroyed their weapons. And two days ago, a big cache of arms was recovered including trucks from them.
“So, the war is going in our favour I can assure you, I can say this very, very confidently, and this is because we’ve also been very mindful of the needs of the military. We have provided within our very little resources, a lot of, you know, equipment to the military. We have provided about 150 MRaps, 120 trucks, and about 60 APCs to the army. In addition, we’ve employed an extra 10,000 personnel in the military. We have provided accommodation for Army.
“The Air Force, of course, it is not just the 12 Super Tucano jets that they have that is helping, we also provide them with three JFI anti-craft fighters. And that is why they are able to give support to the ground forces. And this is why we are recording this kind of success.
“Also the federal government has supplied the Navy with helicopters, given Eshore boats, given them 90 rigid inflatable boats, they have locally constructed, seaworthy boat to fight piracy and all kinds of miscreants. We have also not left the police. We have taken seriously the community policing initiative of the federal government.”
Mohammed expressed confidence that very soon, “we will overcome the terrorists and bandits and criminals all around. But far from being overwhelmed, I think we are in control.”
On the worsening economic conditions in the country, the Minister blamed the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for allegedly laying the foundation for the hunger currently being experienced by Nigerians.
According to him, the present administration is doing its best to deal with the situation
Mohammed also briefed on behalf of the ministry of education, revealing that FEC approved the granting licences to 12 proposed private universities.
They are located in Kano, Niger, Gombe, Sokoto, Delta, Abia, Anambra and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
He said: ”Council approved the memo for the issuance of provisional licences for the establishment of 12 proposed private universities.
“The proposed private universities are Pen Resource University Gombe, Gombe State, Al-Ansar University, Maiduguri, Borno State, Margaret Lawrence I=University, Delta State, Khalifa Ishaku Rabiu University Kano, Kano State, Sports University Idumuje Ugboko, Delta State, Bala Ahmed University Kano, Saisa University of Medical Sciences and Technology, Sokoto State, Nigerian-British University Hasa, Abia State and Peter University Acina-Onene, Anambra State as well as Newgate University, Minna, Niger State, the European University of Nigeria in Duboyi, Abuja and the North-West University Sokoto.”
He said each of the new universities will be mentored by the old universities that are close to them.
FEC also approved N36.1 bllion for Keffi-Nasarawa-Toto Road in Nasarawa State.
Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, stated this during the post-FEC press briefing, saying: “The Ministry of Works and Housing presented a memorandum to council for a contract for the rehabilitation of 118.9 Keffi-Nasarawa-Toto road in Nasarawa State and the memo was approved for the award of the contract for N36.130 billion.”
He noted that the new Executive Order 11 signed by President Buhari will help improve the life span of all public buildings, adding that Nigerians stand to gain a lot from the Executive Order, adding that this was the first time the Nigerian government is making maintenance a matter of national policy.
Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, on his part said, the council approved N5.65 billion for the maintenance of air terminals in Abuja and Port Harcourt for three years.
Council also approved N469.6 million for parts of the L3 x-ray machine for clinics at the airports in Abuja, Kano and Lagos airports.
Credit: Nigerian Tribune