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From Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja
Following the recent security challenges in the country, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said President Bola Tinubu has put the nation’s security apparatuses on the highest alert ever.
Briefing journalists in Abuja, the minister also said the President has deployed the security agencies to actively pursue and eliminate terrorists, bandits and criminal elements wherever they may be in Nigeria.
He stated that in the light of the current security situation in the country and growing concerns among the citizens and the international community, he was addressing the media to provide updates on the efforts of the Federal Government to win the battle against terrorism.
“I want to start by first extending President Bola Tinubu’s sympathies to Nigerians affected by the acts of violence perpetrated by the enemies of the Nigerian nation, mainly terrorists, bandits and other sundry criminal elements.
“The recent tragic killing of a high-ranking Army General, the abduction of students in Kebbi State and the attack on a church in Kwara State, among others, are a stark and painful reminder of the threat we face. This heinous attack on those dedicated to our protection and on the future of our youth, and the assault on our places of worship, only strengthen the resolve of the Federal Government to rise above the challenges and deal a permanent blow on terrorism.
“As you are all aware, President Tinubu has postponed his international engagements, particularly the G20 meeting in South Africa to allow him to focus on the developments within Nigeria.
“The President has also directed the military and the police to deploy more men in Eruku and the entire Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State. Similarly, the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, is currently in Birnin Kebbi to meet with the Governor of Kebbi State, Alhaji Nasir Idris, security chiefs, traditional rulers and families of the abducted school girls. The VP’s entourage includes the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Professor Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, the Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Suleiman Ibrahim and the Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency, Hajiya Zubaida Umar.
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“Let it be known that President Tinubu has put our nation’s security apparatuses on the highest alert ever and has deployed to actively pursue and eliminate terrorists, bandits and criminal elements wherever they may be in Nigeria. Our security forces have also been mandated to swiftly rescue the abducted Kebbi school girls and reunite them with their families,” Idris said.
The minister further said against the backdrop of threats to the national unity and geographical firmament, the Federal Government noted with growing concern, the divisive and narrow rhetoric seeking to frame the nation’s security challenges in sectarian terms.
He also said the government categorically refuted any characterisation of the situation along religious lines.
He added that such claims were not only factually inaccurate, but also dangerously counterproductive to the national unity required to overcome the country’s shared challenges.
“Nigeria’s security landscape is a complex combination of terrorism, banditry and criminality that has claimed the lives and livelihoods of citizens across all ethnic and religious backgrounds. These forces of evil do not discriminate by faith, they target the very fabric of our nation. Indeed, framing Nigeria’s security challenges in religious terms is counterproductive to national unity, especially at a time when we need to stand together to defeat extraneous forces that are bent on destabilising our country. The international community, including respected global religious leaders, acknowledges the complex socio-economic and political roots of the conflicts, rather than a simplistic sectarian narrative.
“The position of the Federal Government of Nigeria remains unequivocal: Nigeria is a multi-faith nation where the freedom of worship is constitutionally guaranteed and must be upheld by everyone.
“At this critical time, it is imperative for all Nigerians to stand as one. We must reject misinformation and division and recognise that our common enemies are terrorists, bandits and criminals seeking to destabilise our nation.
“The Federal Government is deploying all available resources and strategies to decisively win this battle for the nation’s security and future. We remain optimistic that the abducted Kebbi school girls will be rescued and safely returned to their families,” Idris stated.
