By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja Bureau
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has revealed that the country’s security agencies are working very hard to stem the tide of rising insecurity in Nigeria including making serious efforts to free the kidnapped victims of the recent Kaduna train attack.
Addressing State House Correspondents after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, Mohammed also disclosed that the respective arms of government are actually engaged in the efforts to free the kidnapped Kaduna train attack.
Said he: “What is happening now is that there is a kind of an unholy handshake between bandits and Boko Haram insurgents. Preliminary reports of what transpired at the Kaduna train attacks shows that there is a kind of collaboration between the bandits and the dislodged Boko Haram terrorists from the northeast. I can tell you very confidently that the Federal Government on the top of this matter”.
On the 72 hours ultimatum given to the federal government by the families of victims of Kaduna train attack and what government is doing, Mohammed said: “I think the Honorable Minister of Defense has already addressed the issues”.
“One, that what the federal government is doing won’t be subject matter of a press conference, because we have lives at stake. And that the various arms of security are working night and day to unravel the mystery surrounding the kidnap, the attack as a whole”.
“On the kidnapped people, what I can assure you is that you get the respective arms of government actually engaged as we speak, in getting those, you know, victims released. It’s natural for anybody who is a father or a mother of a kidnap person to be worried and to be concerned”.
“But at the level of government, we appreciate that and we are leaving no stone unturned, but we’ll give you specific steps we’re taking I think it will be counter productive and not going to aid or help those who are kidnapped or help you know, the security forces who are tracing and ensuring that there’ll be no repeat of such attacks. Thank you”
Meanwhile, the Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Salihi Magashi (rtd) has expressed satisfaction with the efforts of the Security Chiefs to unravel those behind the insecurity in the country.
Speaking to State House Correspondents after the weekly FEC meeting at Presidential Villa, Abuja on Wednesday, the Minister said government will soon expose those
carrying out these attacks across Nigeria.
Said he: “Honestly, I think the security chiefs are working hard to unveil those that are involved, and we will tell you very soon those that are carrying out these attacks. Both Jos and Kaduna, we will come and explain to the public what is really going on and our efforts to ensure that all these activities are stopped once and for all. We are really on top of the situation, we are planning hard and we will get it out as soon as possible”.
