The federal government has directed the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to ask his party, the PDP, why the Boko haram insurgency has persisted till date.
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed gave this directive while reacting to a statement credited to Atiku yesterday in Abuja while making his opening remarks at the 11th edition of PMB Administration Scorecard Series.
The former Vice President was reported to have expressed surprise at the existence of Boko Haram. In fact he was quoted as saying he could not honestly understand the Boko Haram phenomenon, and wondered why Boko Haram continues to operate.
But Alhaji Muhammed in his reaction said does not need to 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,” Muhammed said, adding, “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, why it allowed Boko Haram to bomb the police headquarters, the UN Complex, a shopping mall and motor parks in Abuja with so much ease.”
He informed that due to the patriotism of the Nigerian troops, military objectives have almost been achieved in the North East, the home region of Boko Haram, thereby creating conditions for Stabilization Operations to take place.
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 Vice President 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.”