By Rotimi Ijikanmi
The Federal Government says contrary to the position of some “jaundiced analysts and their lapdogs,’’ Nigeria is not a failing or failed state.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, at a New Year media briefing in Lagos said the analysts were wrong in seeking to portray the country as a failing state due to its security challenges.

Mohammed, who stressed that the gloomy prediction would not come to pass, added that the country would rise to become a more respected member of the comity of nations.

“You would remember that for the past two decades or so, some pseudo-analysts have been predicting the country’s implosion.

“That has not happened, hence they have found a new watchword – failing or failed state!

” It’s all a ruse aimed at depicting Nigeria as being in a constant state of anarchy so they can achieve their nefarious objectives for the country,’’ he said.

Mohammed said notwithstanding the antics of the analysts who he said had constituted themselves into another ‘fighting force,’ the country had made tremendous progress in tackling bandits and Boko Haram terrorists.

He said: “If Nigeria was not a ‘failing’ state when a large slice of its territory equivalent to the size of Belgium was under the occupation of Boko Haram, which collected taxes, installed and deposed emirs, is it now that no territory is under the terrorists that Nigeria will be a failing state?

“If Nigeria was not a failed state when bombs were raining on towns and cities in Kano, Kaduna, Plateau, Borno, Yobe, FCT and other states, is it now that such bombings have stopped that Nigeria will be described as a ‘failing’ state?

“If Nigeria was not a ‘failing’ state in those years that Christian and Muslim worshippers needed to be screened to even enter their places of worship, is it now that the siege on places of worship has ceased that Nigeria will be described as a ‘failing’ state?’’

Mohammed said it was sad that many people had forgotten where the country was in terms of the state of insecurity just a few years back.

The minister, however, thanked the security agencies for ensuring that Nigerians celebrated another Christmas and the new year without bombings.

He recalled that in 2010, 2011 and 2012, Christmas eve or Christmas Day attacks left hundreds dead or injured.

Mohammed also recalled the attack on the UN Complex in Abuja in August 2011, the bombing of media houses in Abuja and Kaduna in April 2012 and the killing of about 40 students in Mubi, Adamawa, in October 2012.

He said the analysts had forgotten that over 80 towns and villages were attacked and razed, with casualties, by Boko Haram in Borno alone

“Have we forgotten the constant attacks on military and security formations like Giwa Barracks (Maiduguri), Mohammed Kur Barracks (Bama), Monguno Barracks (Monguno), Airforce Base (Maiduguri), New Prison (Maiduguri) and numerous police stations?

“The fact that these attacks and bombings have stopped is a testimony to the progress we have made in tackling terrorism which, by the way, is not like conventional warfare.

“The stoppage of the attacks didn’t happen by accident. It is therefore mischievous for anyone to discountenance the progress we have made in tackling insecurity, in building and upgrading infrastructure and in diversifying the economy, among others.

“The Federal Government rejects this characterisation of Nigeria as a ‘failing’ state, which is a combination of the wishful thinking of naysayers and the evil machinations of those who don’t wish Nigeria well,’’ he said.

Mohammed said the government had sustained the fight against terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and other criminal elements across the country, especially in the North East and the North West regions.

He said the recent swift response and rescue of the 344 kidnapped Kankara school boys in Katsina State from bandits attested to the claim.

Mohammed said the president has continued to provide all the necessary platforms on land, air and sea to support the fight against criminals and terrorists in the country.

The minister said besides tackling insecurity headlong, the country had continued to make steady progress in many areas, including infrastructural development, agriculture and power.

By Hamza Suleiman
Sen. Ali Ndume (APC-Borno) says the strangulating insecurity in North-East hampers the successful execution of Federal Government’s road projects in the region.

Ndume, who is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Army, made this known in Maiduguri on Monday while speaking with newsmen.

He said that the construction and rehabilitation of some major roads had been approved by the Federal Government but the roads were abandoned due to the activities of Boko Haram insurgents.

He explained that Borno, Yobe and Adamawa were some of the states terrorised by the insurgents, making it difficult to rehabilitate and construct road networks approved by the Federal Government.

He said: “The first is Dikwa-Marte-Monguno road which was approved for N60.273 billion and the Numan road linking Borno and Adamawa approved for N15.527 billion.

“The third is the road from Gombi-Biu linking Adamawa and Borno also approved for N7.643 billion. The State government has also taken over the construction of 34km Damboa- Chibok- Mbalala federal road which had for long been neglected.

“It has also embarked on reconstruction and rehabilitation of the dilapidated Biu- Azare – Shaffa- Garkida federal highway linking Gombi Local Government Area of Adamawa, but the workers were forced to vacate the site due to activities of the insurgents.

“Damaturu-Maiduguri has been allocated but as you can see the work has stopped. Also, the road from Buni Yadi- Biu was also abandoned. Even passengers don’t pass through the road regularly due to the threat pose by the terrorist,’’ he said.

Ndume lamented that no single Federal Government project was taking place in the Northern part of Borno due to the fear that contractors might come under attack by the insurgents.

He said that the insurgents had also taken advantage of the deplorable conditions of the roads to abduct commuters and to even stage ambush attacks against troops.

“There cannot be any meaningful development without peace. It will be therefore difficult to see meaningful development especially on road construction by the Federal Government.

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said that 79 illegal migrants were rescued and eight others went missing off the Libyan coast.

“IOM staff are providing emergency assistance to 79 migrants returned to Libya by the coast guard today,’’ the UN body tweeted.

Among the rescued migrants were 13 women and seven children, it said.

Libya has been mired in the chaos following the ouster and killing of its leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, making the North African country a preferred point of departure for illegal migrants who intend to cross the Mediterranean Sea towards Europe.

Thousands of illegal migrants, who were either rescued at sea or arrested by the authorities, remain detained in overcrowded detention centres in Libya.

This is in spite of repeated international calls to close those centres. (Xinhua/NAN)