Lai Mohammed: Any attack on our security men, women is an attack on the state, declaration of war against the nation + Full text

TEXT OF THE PRESS CONFERENCE BY THE HON. MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND

CULTURE, ALHAJI LAI MOHAMMED, ON NATIONAL SECURITY….IN LAGOS ON

TUESDAY, 11 MAY 2021

 

Good morning gentlemen, and thank you for once again honouring our invitation.

 

2.  It is no longer news that our dear nation is facing security

challenges. However, I have read comments saying the Federal

Government is overwhelmed and doesn’t have a clue as to how to tackle

the challenges. Some have even gone as far as suggesting a truncation

of the democratic order, a clearly treasonable stance.

 

3.  Well, I am here today to assure all Nigerians that while the

government acknowledges the security challenges we

face at this time, from terrorism to kidnapping, banditry and

farmer-herder conflict, it is definitely not overwhelmed and indeed it

has the wherewithal, as you will see in the days ahead, to confront

the challenges headlong and restore law and order, peace and security.

 

4.  One of the most difficult things to do, for a

democratically-elected government, is to use the instruments of

coercion against its own people. For example, while the nation’s

military have superior firepower over the rag tag band of Boko Haram

and ISWA, the terrorists most often than not operate among the

populace, either in our villages or towns, hence the military, in

tackling them, is usually careful to avoid collateral damage. The same

applies to the kidnappers who abduct our school children. Usually, the

location of the kidnappers is not unknown to the security forces, but

they still have to exercise caution in order not to hurt the same

children they are trying to rescue. Despite these inhibitions, the

security forces have the wherewithal to decisively tackle the

challenges.

 

5.  Now, there is a growing dangerous trend which I will like to

comment on. It is the practice of launching deadly attacks against the

nation’s security personnel. Soldiers as well as police, customs and

other security agents have been killed and maimed in some parts of the

country in this growing trend of targeting security forces. I want to

say, unequivocally, that any attack on our security men and women is

an attack on the state and a declaration of war against the nation. It

follows, therefore, that this will be countered with overwhelming

force. When those whose responsibility it is to protect us are

themselves being subjected to mindless attacks, it can only be for one

reason only: To instill fear and evoke a sense of pervasive insecurity

among the people. Whether known or unknown gunmen, those engaged in

this dastardly act will pay dearly for their actions.

 

6.  Gentlemen, the government realizes that the security challenges

we face today are systemic, hence has – in addition to kinetic efforts

– also embarked on various non-kinetic measures to most effectively

tackle the challenges. Recently, specifically on April 8th 2021, we

held a Town Hall Meeting on national security in Kaduna, after which

we came out with an implementable, 10-point agenda.

 

1.  That the governance of human society should be based on Law

rather than the whims and caprices of human beings and must be obeyed

by all as all persons are equal before the law including the law

givers.

 

1.  That there is an urgent need for political restructuring and not

separation.

 

iii.   That the Judiciary be decentralized and reformed through

Constitutional Amendment to remove the unitary control of the Superior

Courts.

 

1.  That governments at all levels should ensure free, qualitative

and compulsory Primary Education for all children of school age.

 

1.   That the Military, Police and other Security Agencies should be

expanded in number, retrained, provided with modern equipment and

technology to cope with emerging security challenges.

 

1.  That both religious and traditional leaders should encourage and

promote inter-marriages for unity as contained in the 1999

Constitution as amended, Article 15, 3(c) which prescribes

inter-marriage among persons from different places of origin, or of

different religious, ethnic or linguistic association or ties.

 

vii.   That the establishment of State Police should be supported by

the National and State Houses of Assembly to enable State Governments

have firm control in addressing security issues.

 

viii.   That Traditional Rulers should be given their age-long role of

maintaining peace and security within their domain.

 

1. That the Local Government Autonomy be actualized to enable them

have control of their areas including the ungoverned spaces in

tackling security challenges.

 

1.  And finally that the Farmers/Herders clashes be addressed by

establishment of ranches, grazing reserves with modern amenities to

check the trans-humans of the herders.

 

7.  As far as a national stakeholders’ engagement is concerned, the

town hall meeting fits that bill. In a complete departure from our

town hall meeting format, we invited panellists and discussants from

outside the government . The Lead Presenter was Prof. Jibrin Ibrahim,

and the four discussants were Mrs Ibukun Awosika, the erstwhile

Chairperson of the First Bank; Prof. Saka Nuru, a renowned veterinary

surgeon; Prof Chudi Uwazuruike, an academic and a former member of the

House of Representatives, and Prof Kokunre Eghafona, also from

academia. The stakeholders who attended included all the service

chiefs, members of the legislative and executive arms of government,

civil society organizations, traditional and religious leaders, women

and youth groups as well as labour. It is therefore baffling that some

commentators give the impression that the Administration is not

engaging with the various stakeholders to find a lasting solution to

the challenges facing the nation.

 

8.  Now, we didn’t just engage in a talk shop. We have taken those

resolutions to the National Economic Council, Chaired by His

Excellency the Vice President, and which also includes all the state

governors. As a prelude to adopting the recommendations, the NEC has

directed all state governors to organize state-wide consultation on

them, and then revert to the Council in its next meeting.

 

9.  Of course, you are all aware that the Honourable Attorney-General

of the Federation and Minister of Justice has announced that the

Federal Government is set to prosecute 400 suspects arrested for

allegedly funding terrorism. This is unprecedented and its a testament

to the government’s determination to decisively tackle terrorism and

other violent crimes.

 

10.  While the government continues with these efforts to restore

peace and security continues, I want to appeal to all of us to play

our part in lowering the palpable tension in the polity as a result of

the security challenges. The first step is to tone down the rhetoric.

While the media must continue to carry out its primary responsibility

to inform, criticize and stimulate debate, it must also realize that

it can only carry out this responsibility in an atmosphere of peace

and security. I am therefore appealing to the media to play its part

in dousing the pervasive tension. Lending your platforms to

uncompromising separatists and die-hard pessimists about the survival

of our nation can only overheat the polity and aggravate the security

challenges. This is not a call for censorship. It is a call for

responsibility, in the national interest.

 

11.  For the avoidance of doubt, the government retains total

confidence in the ability of our security forces to tackle the

security challenges we are facing now, whether it is terrorism,

banditry, kidnapping or even the farmer-herder conflict. We therefore

appeal to all Nigerians to continue to support our security agencies,

who today face the added task of having to watch their backs while

working to protect us. The least we can do is to give them our

unalloyed support.

 

12. I thank you for your kind attention.