Insecurity: We’re Suffering Consequences Of 1975 Coup, Says Lai

Lai Mohammed, minister of information and culture, says the
country’s security challenges are a consequence of the 1975 coup
d’état.

The coup, which took place on July 29, 1975, overthrew Yakubu
Gowon and ushered Murtala Muhammed into power.

Speaking when he featured on Channels Television’s Newsnight on
Monday, Mohammed said the lead discussant at the town-hall meeting
on national security organised by the federal government narrated
how the Gowon government was planning to ensure free and compulsory
primary education for children of school age.

He said the decision was arrived at then, as part of efforts to
avoid another civil war in the country.

The minister said, regrettably, the idea was jettisoned after
the 1975 coup which sacked Gowon.

He said failure to execute the plan is responsible for Nigeria’s
large number of out-of-school children.

According to him, militant and insurgent groups have a ready
army to recruit from the country’s 13.2 million out-of-school
children, hence the heightened insecurity in Nigeria.

“The fact is that in 1973, we were informed by the lead
discussant and that the government of the day then had a retreat
and said there must be a national pledge that what is that thing
that we must do to ensure that we did not go through another civil
war.
The government of that day came out with a decision that what will
prevent another civil war is to ensure that anybody born after
January 1970 has free and compulsory primary education,” Mohammed
said.

“Regrettably that administration was overthrown two years later
and all the lofty ideas and all the preparations that were needed
to ensure that every child of school age acquired free and
compulsory education were jettisoned.

“And we are paying the price today because if you have 13.2
million children of school-age out of school that is the market
which Boko Haram, bandits, IPOB and other militants, that is the
market where they recruit people.”

The minister said it was consequently resolved at the town-hall
meeting that all three levels of government “must ensure that we go
back to that and ensure at least free primary education for the
first nine years for each child”.

Lai Mohammed, minister of information and culture, says the
country’s security challenges are a consequence of the 1975 coup
d’état.

The coup, which took place on July 29, 1975, overthrew Yakubu
Gowon and ushered Murtala Muhammed into power.

Speaking when he featured on Channels Television’s Newsnight on
Monday, Mohammed said the lead discussant at the town-hall meeting
on national security organised by the federal government narrated
how the Gowon government was planning to ensure free and compulsory
primary education for children of school age.

He said the decision was arrived at then, as part of efforts to
avoid another civil war in the country.

The minister said, regrettably, the idea was jettisoned after
the 1975 coup which sacked Gowon.

He said failure to execute the plan is responsible for Nigeria’s
large number of out-of-school children.

According to him, militant and insurgent groups have a ready
army to recruit from the country’s 13.2 million out-of-school
children, hence the heightened insecurity in Nigeria.

“The fact is that in 1973, we were informed by the lead
discussant and that the government of the day then had a retreat
and said there must be a national pledge that what is that thing
that we must do to ensure that we did not go through another civil
war.
The government of that day came out with a decision that what will
prevent another civil war is to ensure that anybody born after
January 1970 has free and compulsory primary education,” Mohammed
said.

“Regrettably that administration was overthrown two years later
and all the lofty ideas and all the preparations that were needed
to ensure that every child of school age acquired free and
compulsory education were jettisoned.

“And we are paying the price today because if you have 13.2
million children of school-age out of school that is the market
which Boko Haram, bandits, IPOB and other militants, that is the
market where they recruit people.”

The minister said it was consequently resolved at the town-hall
meeting that all three levels of government “must ensure that we go
back to that and ensure at least free primary education for the
first nine years for each child”.