The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has said the efforts of the military and other security agencies to restore peace were yielding results.
The worst of the insecurity being experienced in the country, he said, was over, stressing that “never again would terrorists and bandits hold sway in our country.”
The minister gave the assurances as his police affairs counterpart, Mohammed Dingyadi, disclosed that no fewer than 5,307 kidnap, robbery suspects and others were arrested across the country between July and August.
Also, 299 abductees were rescued while security operatives recovered 458 firearms, 4, 653 ammunition, 341 stolen vehicles and 392 mobile phones.
Mohammed, Dingyadi and the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, spoke at a joint press conference on the security situation in the country in Abuja on Monday.
Mohammed said, “Today, we are here to tell you that while we may not be there yet, our military and other security agencies have succeeded – and are succeeding – in substantially restoring security across the nation. As far as the daunting security challenges we face are concerned, we can tell you that the worst is over. Never again will terrorists and bandits and their cohorts hold sway in our country.”
He added that but for the proactive action of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), the security challenges would have overwhelmed the country.
He noted, “The security challenges we have faced as an administration have been daunting – from terrorism to banditry to kidnapping to separatist violence to crude oil theft to armed robbery and sundry crimes. It’s undoubtedly the greatest challenge to the peace and security of our great nation since the civil war from 1967 to 1970.”
Speaking, Dingyadi said insecurity in the country may not be unconnected to the handiwork of disgruntled politicians.
He said, “Insecurity in Nigeria is both economic and political and let us not forget that when this administration was about to come onboard some disgruntled people believed that if they didn’t retake power they would make the country ungovernable.”
He disclosed that between July and August 2022 said a total of 773 were arrested for armed robbery; 540 are suspected kidnappers and 3,994 were categorised as others.
In his remarks, the Minister of Interior, Aregbesola disclosed that the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence had made 501 arrests, and prosecuted 452 cases, out of which 49 resulted in convictions in 2022.
He also said the corps had destroyed 71 illegal refineries this year.
Aregbesola added, “In its bid to regulate and standardise the operations of private security companies, this year alone, it has licensed 62 new companies while 41 applications are pending. It has sealed 82 companies that did not live up to standard and unsealed 40 that complied. A total of 587 licences have been renewed within the same period.”
