Lai Mohammed Knocks Atiku over Boko Haram Remarks

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

Minister of Information and Culture  Alhaji Lai Mohammed has criticized the comments of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in next year’s election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar on the existence of Boko Haram.

Mohammed made the condemnation yesterday in his remarks at the President Mohammadu Buhari (PMB) Administration Scorecard Series held in Abuja

The former vice president was credited to have expressed surprise at the existence of insurgent group, saying he could not understand the Boko Haram phenomenon and the group continues to operate.

The minister said Atiku should not look far to get the answers to his questions.

“He should simply ask his party, the PDP, under whose watch the Boko Haram insurgency started in 2009. For six years until 2015, when our administration assumed office and inherited Boko Haram, the PDP more or less nurtured the insurgents to the monster they later became. Alhaji Atiku should ask his party why it allowed Boko Haram to operate freely, bombing cities, motor parks, schools and other soft targets unrestrained. Alhaji Atiku, who was then residing in Abuja before porting to his new abode in Dubai, should ask his party, the PDP, while it allowed Boko Haram to bomb the police headquarters, the UN Complex, a shopping mall and motor parks in Abuja with so much ease,” Mohammed said.

Speaking further, he said the military had provided insights to the Atiku’s question by creating conditions for stabilisation operations to take place in North-east, the home region of Boko Haram.

He said : “Despite the very large joint operational area, Boko Haram terrorists have been cleared from most of their strongholds while remnants are being restricted to the tumbus/island around the Lake Chad that are difficult to access. The former VP may want to know that both kinetic and non-kinetic activities employed by the military have seen the terrorists surrendering in droves, thereby freeing large spaces for normal  socio-economic life to resume. The good news this year is that a bumper agricultural harvest is assured, as farmers were able to carry out extensive farming, which has not been possible since the beginning of insurgency/terrorism in the North-east. While on the campaign trail and throwing political jabs, we advise His Excellency Alhaji Atiku to note the popular idiom that people who live in glass houses should not throw stones.”