Lai: Some world powers have refused to sell us weapons to fight Boko Haram

Lai Mohammed, minister of information, has alleged that some world powers have refused to sell to Nigeria weapons needed to fight insurgency in the country.

Mohammed made the comment when he featured on the News Agency of Nigeria Forum in Abuja, on Thursday.

The minister, who did not reveal the name of the alleged world powers, appealed to them not to be swayed by unsubstantiated arguments to deny the country vital platforms and weapons to fight insecurity.

He added that when needed weapons are denied, the international community cannot accuse Nigeria of failing in its fight against insecurity.

“I want to use this opportunity to say that the international community can help us better than they are doing right now. To fight terrorists we need platforms and weapons,” Mohammed said.

“When the international community is weighed by unsubstantiated arguments to deny the country of vital platforms and weapons to fight insecurity, you cannot turn round to accuse the country of not fighting terrorism.

“For more than two to three years now, we have paid for certain vital weapons that they have not released to us and they even refused to give us spare parts.

“I think our appeal to them is that they should please help Nigeria to provide us with these sensitive platforms so that we can fight insecurity more effectively.”

The minister said for Nigerians to fairly assess the efforts of the federal government in the fight against insecurity, they should compare where the country was pre-2015 and today.

He said to better appreciate what the government is doing in the area of security, Nigerians should take a global survey to understand that unrest, terrorism, and mindless violence cut across the globe.

“People should recognise the fact that today, people have weaponised the issues of religion and ethnicity,” he said.

“We are dealing with extremely unreasonable people, whether in the northwest or in the northeast.

“They should not forget that we are fighting a non-conventional war and at the same time, these people have contacts everywhere.

Mohammed said besides kinetic deployment, the government is equally using non-kinetic approach to tackle insecurity like social intervention programmes meant to empower and engage the youth.

The army has repeatedly complained of under-funding, inadequate equipment and shortage of manpower to combat the security challenges.

During a virtual meeting with the security chiefs and the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) on Wednesday, President Muhammadu Buhari assured security agencies that more weapons and fighter aircraft are being imported to sustain the anti-insurgency war.

The president also dismissed the claim that the insurgents are better funded and more equipped than the army.