Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, says no nation in the world is strong enough to stop attacks on vulnerable targets like mosques, churches, motor parks and IDP camps.

The minister, in his opening speech at a Town Hall Meeting organised by his ministry in Kaduna on Tuesday, cited the recent attacks in France, Belgium and Cote d’Ivoire to buttress his point.

His words: “Undoubtedly the biggest challenge that we faced upon assumption of office on 29 May 2015, I am happy to inform this gathering that we have performed a rare feat by subduing

Boko Haram, making it impossible for the group to carry out any more spectacular attacks as it did in the past when it virtually strolled into Abuja to attack the Police Headquarters and the UN Complex.

“Some will argue that the insurgents are still carrying out sporadic suicide bombings and other

attacks, even though they are now very few. Well, our answer to that is simple: By its very nature, no insurgency ends suddenly. They taper off with time. Insurgencies are not conventional wars and no agreements are signed to silence the guns.

“Of course, no nation in the world is strong enough to stop attacks on vulnerable targets like

mosques, churches, motor parks, IDP camps, etc. The recent attacks in France, Belgium and Cote d’Ivoire testify to this statement.

“As the military carries out mop-up operations, the challenge we face now is resettlement, reconstruction and rehabilitation.”

Alhaji Mohammed, who briefly touched on security, corruption and the power sector before turning the podium over to five other ministers in attendance, said those who pocketed the money meant for upgrading the power infrastructure also succeeded in putting Nigerians in darkness.

“The revelations from the 2.1 billion dollars are just a tip of the iceberg, because the total funds involved in the arms purchase is 15 billion dollars! Of course, the government is also diligently prosecuting those alleged to have looted our commonwealth. With the support of the judiciary, these cases will be disposed of expeditiously,” he said.

Alhaji Mohammed said that government is committed to ensuring that there will be no communication gap between the government and the governed, hence the idea of the Town Hall Meetings.

Speaking at the event, Minister of State Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, promised to provide free gas cylinder to every Nigerian at the beginning 2017.

The Ministers of Interior (Abdulrahman Dambazau), Solid Minerals (Kayode Fayemi), Communications (Adebayo Shittu) as well as that of Budget and Planning (Udo Udoma) were in attendance.

•Photo shows Lai Mohammed.

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