Nigeria At Mercy Of Terrorists Because We’re Being Denied Weapons — Lai Mohammed

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed said the reason why Boko Haram may continue terrorizing the country is because Nigeria is being denied access to acquire adequate weapons to fight the insurgents.

Mohammed, who spoke in Makurdi when he paid a courtesy visit to Governor Samuel Ortom, said terrorists were enjoying global funding, so Nigeria require more support from global partners to defeat the insurgents.

He said that Nigeria is currently at the mercy of terrorists because the country is being denied access to acquire needed weapons to fight the insurgents despite efforts to do so.

Lamenting about the killings of 43 farmers in Borno State, the Minister said the federal government would not relent in its efforts to protect the lives and property of all Nigerians.

“When people talk about terrorism, they don’t seem to appreciate the fact that terrorism is not a local issue but a global issue and there is no part of the world that is not experiencing pockets of terrorism,” he said.

“I am glad that the Governor Ortom himself has said the federal government has assisted a lot in curbing the issue of insecurity in Benue State.

“We will never stop protecting lives and livelihood of the people, but you must understand that we are also dealing with terrorists who are financed globally and we also need more support from global partners.

“For instance, Nigeria has made attempts to acquire better and more effective platforms to deal with terrorists and for one reason or the other we have been denied these platforms, and without these weapons and adequate platforms, we will remain at the mercy of terrorists.

“But you see, fighting terrorists is not a joke because what actually happened in Borno State was quite unfortunate.

“You must be also able to look at the strategy of the terrorists. You see, terrorists also use media and publicity as oxygen. So when they go on this kind of mindless killings of innocent people, it is just that a dying terrorist group will now suddenly again spring to life.

“It does not mean that the government is not doing enough. Terrorism in Africa and any other place in the world has the same concept which is, you have a group of people who are extremists in their thoughts, who don’t believe that me and you should be alive.”

KanyiDaily had reported how Boko Haram terrorists beheaded 43 rice farmers on Saturday in Borno, less than 20 km from Maiduguri, where Nigerian Army has used as headquarters in the ongoing war against insurgency.