PGF DG Blasts Lai Mohammed Over Submission That Bandits Are Not Terrorists

The Director-General of the Progressive Governors Forum, PGF, Salihu Lukman has tackled the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed over his recent submission that bandits are not terrorists.

Lukman who described Mohammed’s position as illogical said he expected better coordination in the public position of top government officials on such matters.

Ezenwoko’s Blog recalls the Information Minister had submitted that the fact that bandits are imposing levies on communities does not mean they have taken control.

The PGF boss who spoke in a statement on Monday however said the Minister of Defence, Bashir Magashi gave a better submission when he stated that the process to label the bandits as terrorists is still in progress.

Lukman said Mr Mohammed should have adopted the same explanation given by the Defence Minister.

He said, “To a large extent, this accounts for the illogical and defensive approach by some senior officials of the federal government to attempt to argue that bandits operating in the North-west are not terrorists.

“With proper coordination in communicating initiatives of government, the explanation of the Minister of Defence, Maj. Gen. (Rtd) Bashir Magashi to the effect that the procedure to declare bandits as terrorists is yet to be completed would have guided all official communications on the matter.”

The Progressive Governors’ Forum DG also called on the All Progressives Congress (APC) to make the task of combating insecurity in Nigeria a priority.

He argued that the way the party and its leaders in government respond to the security challenges will go a long way in convincing Nigerians to vote for the APC in 2023 and counter the narratives been spread by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) about the ruling party.

“As APC prepares for its National Convention, issues of the unity of the country and responses to national security challenges should be priorities.

“Just like election of leaders, how APC want to continue with the task of responding to challenges of insecurity should be part of the agenda of the APC National Convention based on which a decision is taken at the Convention by way of adopting an amendment to the party’s manifesto through majority votes by delegates.

“Once that is done, it will assist the APC, its leaders, and especially candidates for 2023 elections to mobilize Nigerians to vote the party.

“At the same time, it will potentially prepare the party to be capable of neutralizing PDP’s toxic politics of promoting hatred with the high probability that it can produce ultra-right-wing candidates for 2023 elections,” he submitted.