Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information and Culture, has said that despite the fact that President Buhari did not visit Kankara after the abduction of the schoolboys, he coordinated the process that led to the rescue of the schoolboys.
The Minister said this during a press conference in Abuja today December 18, IgbereTV reports.
During the press briefing, a reporter inquired from him why the President did not visit the community after the attack despite the fact he was in the state for a weeklong visit, Lai responded
“Yes, the president did not visit the town but he was busy coordinating the entire operation to ensure the safe return of the students within the fastest time possible.”
Lai went on to state that no government in the world is immune to terrorist attacks but that the rescue of the students shows that the Buhari-administration places ”premium value on the security of lives and properties.”
“The release of these schoolboys is a testament to the importance that this administration attaches to the security and safety of all Nigerians.
There is no government in the world that will not face the challenges of security at one time or another. No government in the world is immune to terrorist attacks.
What stands any government out is the way and manner it responds to such challenges. For example, school shooting has been a recurring challenge in the United States. Between 2010 and 2020, almost 200 school children were killed and many more injured in various school shooting incidents.
Needless to say that the world’s most powerful country suffered a tragic terrorist attack in September 2001 that claimed almost 3,000 lives. In France, between 2010 and 2020, 286 people were killed in various terrorist incidents. And in New Zealand, in March 2019, 49 people were
killed in shootings at two mosques in Christ Church, New Zealand.
I have given these instances to support the fact that no nation, no matter how powerful, is immune to security challenges.”
Lai also lashed out at Nigerians who according to him, politicized the abduction of the schoolboys.
”We can only appeal to those who are quick to politicize the issue of security to desist from such. The reactions in certain quarters to the Kankara incident was shameful. Some Nigerians went as far as denigrating their government and country in the most uncouth and irresponsible manner.
They simply threw decorum to the wind and allowed their emotions to take a better part of them. When disasters and tragedies strike, people come together. We hope the naysayers have learnt their lessons. And we hope those who have started trading and politicking with the hashtag ‘BringBackOurBoys’ can now go home, as our boys have been brought back, even before their dubious campaign could take off.”he said.
