Northern govs ‘not doing enough on Boko Haram’

Minister of information Labaran Maku has accused governors of the northern states of not doing enough “to win the war against terror”.

He said their grandstanding and politicking in the fight against terror “is increasing the tempo of the activities of terrorists”.

He was speaking at a media briefing after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday.

Maku refused to comment on the statement credited to a US official that Nigerian soldiers were becoming afraid of fighting the Boko Haram insurgents.

He said Nigeria will not join issues with visitors who have come to assist ‎her rescue the kidnapped schoolgirls.

Maku said the differences in opinion among the political class feeds into the confidence of terror groups because the objective “is to divide public opinion and conveniently penetrate the Nigerian society and destroy it”.

He asked northern governors to do more than criticising federal government’s decision to extend the state of emergency in Yobe, Borno and Adamawa states.

Maku said since terror tactics are not conventional, the governors must use mass mobilisation to track down the militants’ movement and pass relevant information to security agencies for a more effective military operation.

Political structures

He said President Goodluck Jonathan left the political structures in the affected states intact to assist the security agencies mobilise people at the grassroots to create the necessary support to defeat the terrorists.

He expressed regrets that such a synergy does not exist “despite the persistent attacks going on in the affected states”.

Maku said: “The entire north must prepare its traditional rulers, village heads, religious leaders and the people to create the necessary synergy and mobilise the people against Boko Haram.

“We need to speak with one voice against terrorism. But the right political mobilisation must be put in place and I think that this is what the media should support.

“When people tell you that because we have sent troops we can win the war, it is not true. It is a war with a few ideologically programmed individuals. You need the right networking. We do not have to wait a long time if we do what we are supposed to do and without this cooperation, these people may continue to waste more blood.”

He pleaded with the media against sensational reports on the activities of Boko Haram.

“Terrorists currently cherish such publicity more than the politicians standing for elections in 2015,” he said.