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From Adetutu Folasade-Koyi, Abuja
The Federal Government has reiterated that Boko Haram has no caliphate in the North East, contrary to a recent report by The Economist.
Last week, the London-based magazine wrote on the worsening insecurity in Nigeria as well as secession agitations in some parts of the country.
In a formal response to The Economist, the Federal Government, during a press conference addressed by Information and Culture and Orientation Minister, Lai Mohammed, in Abuja, yesterday, insisted that Boko Haram terrorists control no part of the North East and that the military’s efforts, with the acquisition of new weapons, has decimated both terrorists and bandits
“I’m not saying we have overcome them. Now, the new acquisition of the military has helped matters; both in combating terrorism and banditry.
“I was in Katsina State a few days ago and I pointedly asked the governor: ‘is the situation improving, against the background of the measures you have taken?’ And, his answer was ‘yes.’ He did not hesitate at all…
“The combined effect of both the military in both the North West and the North East and decisions taken by governors in the North West…and the North East is so hot now, so unsafe for terrorists that they are now moving out.
“In the North Central, they have been dislodged. In fact, I read, today (yesterday), that Boko Haram confirmed that their chief armourer of these terrorists, in the North East, has relocated from the North East to Kaduna. That is because of the heat they are facing in the North East.
“In the North West, today, because these people are hungry and desperate…but, the truth of the matter is that the bandits are losing the war.
“The Federal Government is winning the war against the terrorists and as the governor of Katsina State told us, he said, ‘look, it is wrong to ascribe ideological, religious or ethnic reasons to bandits; that bandits are pure criminals.’ I can say that it would only continue to get better…
“The Economist Group, of which The Economist magazine is an integral part, has been wrong about Nigeria before, just as it is wrong about Nigeria this time around. Recall, gentlemen, that shortly before the 2019 general election, The Economist Intelligence Unit, also from the stable of The Economist Group, predicted that the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, will win the election. Well, The Economist was wrong. President Muhammadu Buhari won re-election by over three million votes. So, The Economist and other arms of the group are not infallible…” Mohammed said.
The minister further punched holes in the magazine’s article, with reports that Boko Haram has spread its operations in the North East.
“The Economist reported that the Jihadist threat in the North East has ‘metastasised’, and everyone knows that this is totally inaccurate…,” he said.
