How World Powers Keep Nigeria at the Mercy of Terrorists – Lai Mohammed

Mr. Mohammed’s explanation of Nigeria’s susceptibility to terrorist attacks is akin to former President Jonathan’s defence that terrorism was a global phenomenon that Nigeria was having its share of.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed on Monday adduced the reason why Nigeria will still remain at the mercy of Boko Haram, stating that world powers are deliberately blocking Nigeria’s moves to acquire needed weapons to end terrorism and insurgency.

Arbiterz had reported that Boko Haram terrorists at the weekend stormed a rice farm at Kwashebe in Jere Local Government Area of Borno State and slit the throat of about 110 farmers in Borno State in what the United Nations described as “the most violent direct attack against innocent civilians this year”. Forty-three of the victims were buried yesterday with the Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum stating that “Boko Haram sect is still existing strongly in many parts of our state”.

The Minister, who spoke in Makurdi after paying a visit to the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, condemned the “mindless killing of innocent Nigerian farmers by extremists in Borno last week’’, adding that the country needed more support from global partners as well as acquiring adequate weapons to decimate the insurgents.

He lamented that Nigeria has been denied access to acquire weapons to fight Boko Haram terrorists, adding that the action of the world powers was deleterious and frustrating Nigeria’s resolve to end the twin-menace as well as end extremism.

Pundits believe that global powers may be frustrating the Nigerian government’s means of getting armament due to the human rights record of the current administration. The Lekki Toll Gate shooting by the military during the ENDSARS peaceful protest may have strengthened the resolve of world powers to somehow punish the Buhari government.

Also Read: Gruesome Murder of 110 Rice Farmers in Borno Village Sparks Outrage

Lai Mohammed however stated that regardless of the frustrations of the country being at the mercy of terrorists, the Federal Government would fight terrorism and insurgency to a logical conclusion.

According to him, “We will never stop protecting lives and livelihoods. However, we must also understand that we are dealing with terrorists who are financed globally and we also need more support from global partners.

“For instance, Nigeria had made attempts to acquire better and more effective platforms to deal with the terrorists, but for one reason or the other we have been denied this platforms.”

The Minister continued, “What actually happened in Borno was quite unfortunate, but we also have to look at the strategy of the terrorists.

“Terrorists use media and publicity as oxygen and so when they go on this kind of mindless killing, a dying terrorist group will suddenly spring to life.

“This does not mean the government is not doing enough.

“Terrorists everywhere have the same concept which is a group of people who are extremists and do not believe that you and I should be alive,” he said.

The Minister explained that when government talked about terrorism, people did not seem to appreciate that terrorism is not a local issue, but a global issue and that there is no part of the world that did not experience its own pocket of terrorism.

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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.

“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,” said Lai Mohammed.

Terrorism is indeed widely acknowledged to be a global phenomenon. National military strength and capacities for intelligence gathering make the difference between infiltration by terrorists who may attack limited numbers of people once in a while and a situation like Nigeria’s where terrorists and bandits kill and terrorise citizens over vast expanses of the country at will.

Mr. Mohammed’s explanation of Nigeria’s susceptibility to terrorist attacks is akin to former President Jonathan’s defence that terrorism was a global phenomenon that Nigeria was having its share of.