PDP nurtured Boko Haram into a monster, FG replies Atiku

Lai Mohammed, minister of information and culture, says the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) nurtured Boko Haram into the monster it became when President Muhammadu Buhari assumed office in 2015.

Mohammed said this in response to a comment credited to Atiku Abubakar, standard bearer of the PDP.

The former vice-president had said the inability of the federal government to defeat the insurgent group puzzles him.

Reacting on Tuesday at the 11th edition of the scorecard series of Buhari’s administration, the minister said Atiku should ask his party why it allowed the insurgents to bomb the UN and police headquarters in Abuja.

“For six years until 2015, when our administration assumed office and inherited Boko Haram, the PDP more or less nurtured the insurgents to the monster they later became,” Mohammed said.

“Alhaji Atiku should ask his party why it allowed Boko Haram to operate freely, bombing cities, motor parks, schools and other soft targets are unrestrained.

“Alhaji Atiku, who was then residing in Abuja before porting to his new abode in Dubai, should ask his party, the PDP, while it allowed Boko Haram to bomb the police headquarters, the UN complex, a shopping mall and motor parks in Abuja with so much ease.”

The minister said under the Buhari administration, the insurgents have been cleared from their strongholds, with just “remnants” left around the Lake Chad area.

“The former vice-president may want to know that both kinetic and non-kinetic activities employed by the military have seen the terrorists surrendering in droves, thereby freeing large spaces for normal socio-economic life to resume,” he said.

“The good news this year is that a bumper agricultural harvest is assured, as farmers were able to carry out extensive farming, which has not been possible since the beginning of insurgency/terrorism in the north-east.

“While on the campaign trail and throwing political jabs, we advise His Excellency Alhaji Atiku to note the popular idiom that people who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.”