Lai Mohammed, minister of information, says Nigeria is at the mercy of Boko Haram because the country has been denied weapons to prosecute the war against insurgency.
Nigeria has been seeking help on arms purchase from foreign countries.
Suspected Boko Haram members attacked Zabarmari, about 20 kilometres from Maiduguri, at the weekend, killing at least 45 farmers.
The attack was described by the United Nations as “the most violent attack” targeted at civilians in 2020.
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Speaking on Monday during a courtesy visit to Samuel Ortom, governor of Benue state, the minister described the killings in Borno as an unfortunate event.
“When we talk about terrorism, people don’t seem to appreciate that terrorism is not a local issue, it is a global issue and there is no part of the world that doesn’t experience its own pocket of terrorism,” Mohammed said.
He said Nigeria needs global support to win the war.
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“But you must also note that we are dealing with terrorists who are financed globally and we also need more support from global partners. For instance, Nigeria has made an attempt to acquire a better and more effective platform to deal with terrorists but for one reason or the other we have been denied this platform, these weapons and without adequate weapons or platform we remain at the mercy of terrorists,” the minister said.
“You see fighting terrorists is not a joke because what actually happened in Borno State is unfortunate but you must also look at the strategy of the terrorists.
“Terrorists use media and publicity as oxygen, so when they go on this kind of mindless killing of people. It is not that the government is not doing enough. Terrorism whether in Afghanistan or anywhere in the world has the same concept, a group of people who are extremist in their thoughts who don’t think that you and me should be alive.”
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2 comments
How can they give you weapons when you are busy rehabilitating and re-integrating the boko haram boys that were in army custody since 2013?. You think the international community are insane?. Your government never believe that Boko Haram is a terrorist organization, but IPOB and Niger Delta militants.
It is sad to note the level of stupidity that is suggested by the utterances of certain high brow Nigerian government officials. No wonder they are trying to teleguide using the social media.
If “Lying” Mohammed can say that Nigeria is denied weapons to fight off a mere group of insurgents numbering say about a 100 thousand, then there is a lot to learn. What happens to security budget? The one that had bn embezzled by the Dasuki guy…what has anyone done about it? When a people now rise to defend themselves and their fatherland,, they are seen as terrorists. The government now come out to tell them they don’t hv a right to defend themselves,, after having failed to provide protection for them.
It is the farmers now because they are defenseless and need clearance from your politically influenced, ill-equipped army to go on their farms. The insurgents will one day get to the people telling lies to cover up facts.