The THIRD Force, a coalition of young Nigerian politicians and
professionals committed to the birth of a new Nigeria, has called on
Nigerians across political, ethnic and religious divides to hold Lai
Mohammed responsible for any further attacks carried out by the Boko
Haram terrorist group on the citizens of Nigeria.
The group was reacting to a statement by Lai Mohammed, Nigeria's
Minister of Information on Wednesday declaring that the war against
Boko Haram has been won and the Nigerian Army has met the December
2015 deadline given to them by President Buhari to defeat Boko Haram.
In a statement issued on Thursday in Zaria by Ishaq Abubakar, the
spokesperson of The THIRD Force, the group described Lai Mohammed's
comments as reckless and irresponsible.
"While the defeat and end of Boko Haram in Nigeria is a dream all
well-meaning citizens of Nigeria desire and have supported the
government and the Nigerian Army to accomplish, The THIRD Force
however believes that there should be limits to reckless and
irresponsible propaganda especially when it is coming from the office
of a public officer paid with taxpayers' money.
"Lai Mohammed's hasty declaration on Wednesday that Boko Haram has
been defeated was not only misguided but an idiotic attempt to end the
war against Boko Haram on the pages of newspapers.
"We understand that the Nigerian government has been under pressure to
show the world that the December deadline to end Boko Haram given by
President Buhari to the Nigerian Army is feasible. But the reality on
ground suggests otherwise. No fewer than 1,500 Nigerians were killed
by Boko Haram in the past six months according to Associated Press
reports. Only last week, Boko Haram attacks in the northeast of
Nigeria left over 30 dead and 20 others wounded. News of the attacks
was slow to emerge because telecom masts in the area have been
destroyed in previous Boko Haram raids, hindering communication. Many
more attacks are happening on a daily basis that do not make the news
headlines. Is this normal? Are these not Nigerian citizens or are they
mere statistics in Lai Mohammed's school of governance by propaganda?
"Just last Thursday, Boko Haram insurgents killed 14 people,
decapitating some of them, when they raided Kamuya village, the
hometown of Lt. General Tukur Buratai, the Nigerian Army Chief's
mother, and burnt it down. Are these mere statistics or is Lai
Mohammed telling the world that this is normal in a country where
terrorism has been defeated?
"Even if the war against Boko Haram has been won and Lai Mohammed can
now relocate from the comfort of Abuja to Maiduguri, what is the
strategic sense in this needless public bravado? Would it not have
been wiser to wait a few weeks to assess the extent of this "victory"
before rushing to town to celebrate?
"Lai Mohammed will soon realize the hard way that there is a wide gulf
between being the spokesperson of the government of a country of over
170 million citizens and being the spokesperson of an opposition
party.
"Let it be on record that by declaring this phantom victory against
Boko Haram, Lai Mohammed is helping the government of Nigeria endanger
more Nigerian lives. Such a thoughtlessly provocative statement from a
senior Nigerian government official is capable of eliciting a response
from Boko Haram and their allies through bomb blasts and brutal
attacks against defenseless Nigerian citizens.
"Lai Mohammed must now begin to pray. He must pray hard that the Boko
Haram he defeated on the pages of newspapers are actually defeated and
remain defeated. The blood of any Nigerian citizens lost to fresh Boko
Haram attacks after this careless statement will be upon his head."
Signed
Ishaq Abubakar
Spokesperson
The THIRD Force
24/12/2015
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