Nigeria is bleeding – Defence minister laments, reveals arrest of Boko Haram sponsors
Bashir Magashi, the minister of defence, on Thursday, April 22, told our correspondents that Nigeria is bleeding.
This remark was made by him at the ministerial briefing organised by the Presidential Communication Team at Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.
The minister claimed that while insurgency in the country had reduced due to the laudable efforts of the federal government, some other worrisome issues have been on the increase.
He also disclosed that the government has taken a decisive position on persons identified as enemies of the nation.Even more, the minister said some criminals found to be sponsors of Boko Haram have been arrested in Kano state.
He was quoted saying:
“Make no mistakes that our nation is bleeding now. It is bleeding because of the self-interest and other primordial considerations underlying decisions, which quite a number of our elite; political, ethnic and religious, make it so. Such elites are quick to attribute blames to groups other than theirs.
“The whole idea is to exploit the social division for their political gains and it is because of this divisiveness that Nigeria lacks a national consensus or common comprehensive understanding and the interpretation of what national security is, e.g Boko Haram, farmers/herders clashes, IPOB and other political associations that are coming up with different mandates and different concerns. All these can encourage groups to seek violence as a legitimate alternative.”
Magashi on Thursday, April 14, made hid disclosure during his visit to Governor Samuel Ortom in Makurdi, the state capital that President Muhammadu Buhari was sad over the recent killing of soldiers in Benue state.
He assured Nigerians that despite the sad news, the force is focused to curb and possibly overcome insurgency.