Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed says the decision of some foreign powers not to sell weapons to Nigeria is putting the nation on the backfoot in counterinsurgency operations.
He spoke during a courtesy visit to Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom in Makurdi on Monday.
The minister lamented Saturday’s killing of 43 farmers in Zabarmari, Jere LGA of Borno State.
Lai Mohammed said that insurgent groups in Nigeria enjoy global funding, noting that only international cooperation can stop them in their tracks.
According to him, the Muhammadu Buhari administration would continue to do its utmost to protect the lives and livelihoods of Nigerians.
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“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.
“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,” the minister stated.
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Lai Mohammed added, “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.”
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