Nigeria's Minister of Information, Labaran
Maku, has explained that the origin of the Boko
Haram menace rocking the entire north was far
from being religious, and insisted that majority
of the deadly insurgents were employees of the
All
Progressives Congress (APC)- controlled
government of Borno State.
Insisting that last Friday’s killing of the Emir of
Gwoza, Alhaji Idrissa Timta; the abduction of
young schoolgirls in the state, and attacks on
markets in parts of the country by the
insurgents reaffirmed his position, Maku stated
that the problem of insurgency must be dealt
with collectively, since it is not about religion.
Maku made the remarks during a phone-in
programme on a national radio monitored in
Abuja, on Saturday, titled: “The Jonathan
Administration since 2011: How has it fared?” as
part of the occasions to mark this year’s
Democracy Day.
Maku said it was disheartening that the issue of
insurgency, for a number of politicians, had
become a slogan for 2015 to attack the Federal
Government, and to continuously make
statements that divide the country, engage in
campaigns that distract the nation, and in
campaigns that turn the people against the
Armed Forces.
“And I keep saying it, which party will now
proclaim innocence? Insurgency started in
Borno State, insurgency started in Yobe State.
Today, Nigerians are aware that most of the
insurgents were employees of the APC
government of Borno State. Buji Foi was a
commissioner with the Government of Borno
State under Ali Modu Sheriff; Shekau and co.
were all connected to the Governor of Borno.
So, there is an organic link, but we are not
looking at that,” Maku said.
On what proof he had on the allegation, the
Minister said: “…that Buji Foi was a
commissioner in Borno State? Are you asking
me whether I have proof? I am saying that most
of those leaders – the APC leaders – were
organically connected. The Buji Foi, everybody
knows, was a commissioner in Borno State. So,
we are saying that we must, as political parties,
as politicians, stop the grandstanding and
pretention that is going on.
The distractions we hear today on the pages of
newspapers and everywhere have nothing to do
with the fight against insurgency; people are
looking at this insurgency as an opportunity for
2015.
“For a long time, for almost three years, we had
to fight to convince people that we even needed
to send troops to Borno State. People refused,
they came here, and they said it was not a
matter for the Army, and that we should
withdraw them.
The President said if you want me to withdraw
these troops, what is the alternative? Do you
have any alternative of helping the matter? If
you do, I will withdraw my troops now. And this
insurgency continued to take root as a result of
the politicking, without looking at the future of
the country and our national security.
“If any portion of this country is not at peace,
Nigeria is not at peace, and the President will
not rest until it is done. Young girls are
kidnapped at midnight in schools, and then
attacks in markets. These attacks show clearly
that this insurgency is not about religion.
Because the Emir of Gwoza, who has just being
slain, was a Muslim; he was a traditional ruler.
Under Islam, he was supposed to be the leader
of the faithful in his domain. So, it is not about
religion. As 2015 election comes, we are seeing a
lot of the passion coming into this insurgency,
not because people really care, but because they
want to exploit it for political advantage, so that
President Jonathan should look very bad.” He
said, though insurgency began before Jonathan’s
administration, a lot has been done to
checkmate the threat.
His words: “No leader of this country will wish
himself the kind of experience the President is
going through today. There is nothing the
President is not doing to bring this insurgency to
an end. Now, we have done so much in this
area.
Today, a good portion of every naira we spend
on insecurity has been in those states of Borno,
Yobe and Adamawa. We are spending trillions
to make sure that we do everything possible to
bring this insurgency to an end.
But the difficulty of fighting insurgency is that it
is not a conventional war.
“So, when people continue to attack the Army,
why is this still going on?
It is still going on because the only way you can
defeat it is for every level of government; from
the village, district, local government, state, to
the federal level to be organised, to mobilise its
people, to sensitise them, to report every slight
movement.”
On other sectors of the economy, Maku pointed
out that the administration had fared well, as
more roads are being constructed, with rail
project on the verge of completion, while job
opportunities “are created for the unemployed
through various government programmes.
“We, Nigerians, must appreciate government’s
effort. This government needs encouragement,
and the best way you can encourage President
Jonathan is to grant us peace. Give us peace in
your states, give us peace in your local
government, give us peace in your constituency,
and you will see the real transformation that
has come on board under this President,” he
said.
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