I Did Not Blame Murtala Mohammed For Spate Of Insecurity — Lai Mohammed

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, says the
media report that he blamed the regime of Gen. Murtala Mohammed for
spate of insecurity in Nigeria is “fake news and
disinformation.’’

The minister said this on Tuesday in Lagos during a meeting with
Online Publishers.

Mr Mohammed, who expressed dismay over the reports clarified on
what he said, when he recently featured on Channels Television’s
News programme.

“It is amazing at times how people interpret ones’ opinions and
views in a very negative sense.

“What happened was that, the lead speaker at a Town Hall Meeting
we held in Kaduna recently, made reference to the retreat by the
former military Head of State Gen. Yakubu Gowon, after the civil
war.

“He said that at the end of the retreat, there was consensus
that all children born after the civil war must be given free and
compulsory primary education.

“I simply elaborated on this information and said that if
subsequent governments after Gen. Gowon had perfected this pledge,
the bandits and kidnappers today will have no market to recruit
their followers.

“I said we have about 13 million out of school children and if
successive government had taken the decision at the Gowon’s retreat
seriously, we will not be where we are today.

“There was nowhere I blamed Gen. Murtala Mohammed, but we are in
the era of disinformation and fake news,’’ he explained.

The minister said he was also misunderstood on his position that
kidnapping and banditry were not offences that could be prosecuted
by the Federal Government.

He said while his position was correct, it was not meant to
absorb the federal government from the responsibility of fighting
crimes as it was misinterpreted by some people.

“I was responding to the opposition PDP which said that the
Federal Government has not prosecuted any bandits or
kidnappers.

“I said it is not the responsibility of the federal government
to prosecute bandits or kidnappers.

“The responsibility of the federal government is to hunt them
down, arrest them and hand them over to the states judiciary to
prosecute.

“Incidentally, this morning, it was reported that 48 kidnappers
were neutralised by the military in Zamfara State.

“Those who were arrested will be handed over to the Zamfara
state government for prosecution,’’ he said.

The minister reiterated that there were some laws which were at
the exclusive execution by the federal and state level
respectively.

“As of today and until we amend the law, the federal government
cannot prosecute suspected kidnappers and bandits.

“That was why the notorious kidnap kigpin, Chikwudubem
Onwuamadike, also known as Evans is being prosecuted in the Lagos
state court and not in Abuja,’’ he said.

The minister said Nigerians must be concerned about the spate
and effects of fake news and disinformation. NAN

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, says the
media report that he blamed the regime of Gen. Murtala Mohammed for
spate of insecurity in Nigeria is “fake news and
disinformation.’’

The minister said this on Tuesday in Lagos during a meeting with
Online Publishers.

Mr Mohammed, who expressed dismay over the reports clarified on
what he said, when he recently featured on Channels Television’s
News programme.

“It is amazing at times how people interpret ones’ opinions and
views in a very negative sense.

“What happened was that, the lead speaker at a Town Hall Meeting
we held in Kaduna recently, made reference to the retreat by the
former military Head of State Gen. Yakubu Gowon, after the civil
war.

“He said that at the end of the retreat, there was consensus
that all children born after the civil war must be given free and
compulsory primary education.

“I simply elaborated on this information and said that if
subsequent governments after Gen. Gowon had perfected this pledge,
the bandits and kidnappers today will have no market to recruit
their followers.

“I said we have about 13 million out of school children and if
successive government had taken the decision at the Gowon’s retreat
seriously, we will not be where we are today.

“There was nowhere I blamed Gen. Murtala Mohammed, but we are in
the era of disinformation and fake news,’’ he explained.

The minister said he was also misunderstood on his position that
kidnapping and banditry were not offences that could be prosecuted
by the Federal Government.

He said while his position was correct, it was not meant to
absorb the federal government from the responsibility of fighting
crimes as it was misinterpreted by some people.

“I was responding to the opposition PDP which said that the
Federal Government has not prosecuted any bandits or
kidnappers.

“I said it is not the responsibility of the federal government
to prosecute bandits or kidnappers.

“The responsibility of the federal government is to hunt them
down, arrest them and hand them over to the states judiciary to
prosecute.

“Incidentally, this morning, it was reported that 48 kidnappers
were neutralised by the military in Zamfara State.

“Those who were arrested will be handed over to the Zamfara
state government for prosecution,’’ he said.

The minister reiterated that there were some laws which were at
the exclusive execution by the federal and state level
respectively.

“As of today and until we amend the law, the federal government
cannot prosecute suspected kidnappers and bandits.

“That was why the notorious kidnap kigpin, Chikwudubem
Onwuamadike, also known as Evans is being prosecuted in the Lagos
state court and not in Abuja,’’ he said.

The minister said Nigerians must be concerned about the spate
and effects of fake news and disinformation. NAN