Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has said that Nigerians will not run out of their country despite the US terror alert, but fight to ensure that their country becomes safe, stable and prosperous.
He said that the public exposure of the alert has done nothing but terrorized Nigerians and set the country on panic mood.
The Information Minister spoke in Kaduna on Friday during the presentation of the Kaduna State quarterly security report, adding that Nigerian military, working in concert with the government have what it takes to handle the security situation in Nigeria.
He said the Federal Government, like any other responsible government will not swallow hook, line and sinker any security alert from any other foreign country.
He condemned what he described as de-marketing of “their own country”, by a section of the Nigerian media, challenging the media to rather rectify the trust deficit between the government and Nigerian citizens.
“What I have witnessed today is a validation of my position that the Nigerian military, working in concert with our government have what it takes to handle the security situation in Nigeria. And this brings me to the most topical issue today, which is the security alert sent by the United States of America as regard the security situation in Abuja in particular and in Nigeria as a whole.
“I want to say very categorically and without mincing words that, whatever is the intention of this security alert or this travel advisory, what it has done is that, it has terrorized our people and it has set the nation in a panic mood.
“No doubt, the American government has a right to issue travel advisory to its citizens, but that should not go to the extent of scare it has created. What the Federal Government has said is that, yes, this particular advisory was meant for the American citizens, but when it was leaked to the media, it caused a lot of panic to our people. And no responsible government will swallow hook, line and sinker the security alert from any other foreign country, especially when we have confidence in our own military and other security agencies to gather intelligence and act upon it.”
“Since this controversy, we have responded that the federal government is in full control, and that we do quite understand the situation, and that we are on top of it. We make no apology when we said that our military are on top of this situation, that our military are competent and even in some cases pay the supreme sacrifice to keep the nation secured.
“When the US issued the security alert, what did they expect us to do? To tell Nigerians to run away? No! We did what any responsible government will do, which is to reassure Nigerians, to let them know that the security agencies are on top of this matter and that they are doing everything everyday, including laying down their lives, to ensure that me and you sleep peacefully.
“Another big issue I want to raise has to do with my brothers in the media. We cannot to de-market our own country. What makes the security intelligence of the Americans superior to our own? This trust deficit between the government and the governed, I think we in the media need to do a lot more to rectify it.”
