Lai counters Obasanjo, says Buhari administration not overwhelmed by insecurity

Lai Mohammed, minister of information and culture, says the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is not overwhelmed by the security challenges of Nigeria.

On Saturday, former President Olusegun Obasanjo had said Nigerians are no longer safe anywhere in the country and that the Buhari administration is overwhelmed by insecurity.

Speaking on Monday during a Television Continental (TVC) programme, Mohammed said the military and other security personnel are doing their best and have recorded successes in the fight against terrorism.

“Our military is doing its best. The government is by no means overwhelmed even if it appears to some that it is overwhelmed,” Mohammed said.

“And that is why I have tried to explain the successes of the military in recent time; the fact that thousands of terrorists have surrendered, the fact that we have regained territories. That the federal government has been giving the security forces the platforms, an enabling environment to win the war.

“As I said, when the terrorist attack like that, their main is to, with one single spectacular attack, discredit the military but that does not take away from the successes of our military in fighting terrorism.”

The minister assured Nigerians of the government’s commitment to ensure that every state is secured.

Mohammed said the government is fast-tracking the installation of surveillance systems along railway tracks, in the wake of the fatal train attack in Kaduna.

“The federal government is working toward ensuring that such incident does not reoccur,” he said.

“One of the things that the government wants to do is to fast-track the installation of a surveillance and monitoring system, not just on the Abuja-Kaduna rail track.

“But also on the Lagos-Ibadan and Warri-Itakpe rail tracks to ensure that at any given time we will be able to monitor from the control room.”

The minister said the fight against banditry is a joint work and that the military needs the support of Nigerians.

“We must give kudos to our military; you know that we are not fighting a conventional war but terrorism, hence the need for everyone to support the security agencies so as to win over the menace,” he added.

“These terrorists are not the enemies of Buhari but of the entire country. And we need the support of everybody, we need the encouragement. The military needs the encouragement and understanding of everybody.”