The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has called on the media and Nigerians to support the new service chiefs in the fight against insurgency.
They are Maj.-Gen. Leo Irabor, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Maj.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, Chief of Army Staff (CAS) ; Rear Adm. Awwal Zubairu Gambo, Chief of Naval Staff; and Air-Vice Marshal Isiaka Amao, Chief of Air Staff.
Mohammed who made the call on a Radio Nigeria programme, “Politics Nationwide’’ monitored by NAN on Tuesday in Abuja, advised the media to be more responsible in reporting insurgency.
He said the new service chiefs would excel because of their track records, especially the CDS and CAS who were past Commanders of Operation Lafiya Dole in the North-East.
“With this experience, the new service chiefs will improve on the successes of their predecessors,’’ Mohammed said.
He disagreed with some critics who said that service chiefs came on board when the security situation in the country had worsened.
The minister said that prior to 2015 there was hardly any Christmas and new year that was celebrated peacefully because of Boko Haram attacks.
Mohammed added that in 2015, about 10 states in Northern Nigeria were under the control of the insurgents.
“In 2015 Abuja was not safe for Nigerians as the insurgents bombed the UN building, a motor park in Nyanya and some media houses,’’ he said.
Mohammed said that within the period also, most schools and roads in the North East were closed due to attacks by the insurgents.
“Yes, we have challenges but the military are living up to expectations,’’ he said.
“We are not competent to speak on the structure of the military, it is for the military to assess the situation and adapt to the changing tactics of the insurgents,’’ Mohammed said.
He attributed the rise in COVID-19 cases in the country to the disregard by Nigerians for the protocols set aside by the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19.
Mohammed said that mobile courts had been set up at strategic locations to prosecute violators of the regulations recently accented to by the president.
The minister said that there was a scramble for the coronavirus vaccines, adding that the WHO was trying very hard to ensure that developing countries were not denied access.
He said the country was making efforts to make the vaccines available to Nigerians, adding that the Federal Government would not bring in vaccines that were not safe for Nigerians.
Mohammed said that the PTF and the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) had met with stakeholders to solicit their support for the vaccines.
