- Lai Mohammed, the minister of information and culture, said that insecurity in Nigeria was a critical issue before the present administration
- Mohammed said that it was even worse in Abuja where peace was scarce four years ago
- However, he stated that President Muhammadu Buhari has done much to tackle the status quo and has also revived the nation's economy
The minister of information and culture, Lai Mohammed, said that the issue of insecurity was rampant before the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.
Mohammed remarked that the situation was so critical that “four-five years ago, nobody in Abuja was sleeping with his or her two eyes closed”. He said this on Friday, June 1, when a team led by himself finished inspecting the proposed venue for the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNTWO) commission for Africa meeting, The Cable reports.
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The meeting will take place from Monday, June 4 to Wednesday, June 6, the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja.
Stating that the present regime has made great progress in the battle against insecurity and a wailing economy, Mohammed said: “It is a global structure for you to tell your own story. We are telling the world the story that in the last couple of years, Nigeria has been on the bed.
"But now, we have made tremendous progress in the fight against insecurity, in revamping the economy and other sectors.”
“But for the effort of this government mostly in the area of fighting insecurity, we won’t be hosting this meeting in Nigeria. When we were bidding to host this conference in 2016, I had to explain to them that the federal government of Nigeria was on top of the security situation in Nigeria.
“Four-five years ago, it would have been impossible to host this conference in Nigeria. I remember that four-five years ago, nobody in Abuja was sleeping with his or her two eyes closed. But we are very confident in holding this meeting here because of the success we have recorded in decapitating Boko Haram.”
He went on to say that the meeting will be used to tell the world that Nigeria "is a country in a hurry to develop.” He remarked: “We are expecting about 180 foreign delegates. Already 26 ministers from Africa have signified their intention to come.”
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“We want to use this meeting to tell the world that Nigeria is not just at peace but that Nigeria is ready to host the entire world. We will show to them, with the planning and activities that this is a country in a hurry to develop. During the conference, we are also organizing a tour of tourist sites within Abuja.”
Meanwhile, NAIJ.com reported that security men comprising of military officers, police, officials of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), among others, had been deployed to the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua expressway after days of protest by angry traders and villagers.
The demolition of Gosa market by the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) on Monday, March 6, had sparked protest as traders made a bonfire on both sides of the road.
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Source: Naija.ng