Tunde Odesola      

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has indirectly challenged Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayo Fayose, to visit the north-eastern parts of Nigeria where the war on terror is ongoing.

Mohammed, who spoke in an interactive session with journalists on Wednesday, in Ikeja, insisted that the war against terror had been largely won by the country’s troops.

He insisted that the Boko Haram sect had been reduced to a “fleeing, bomb-throwing, cowardly and disorganised army’’.

A few days ago, the Ekiti State governor had challenged Mohammed, whom he told to visit the Sambisa Forest, which is regarded as a stronghold of the sect.

Fayose had said, “Nigerians will only take the minister serious if he relocates to either Sambisa in Borno State or to Yobe State and stay there till the end of March, next year, without heavy military security.”

But the minister said, “The armchair critics, who dispute these facts from the comfort of their living rooms, are free to take a trip to the theatre of war to see things for themselves. Perhaps then, they will be more circumspect in issuing reckless statements that give nothing but succour to Boko Haram.

“I have gone to the theatre of war to see things for myself. I did not just stop in Maiduguri; I went all the way to Konduga, Kaure and Bama which, as I said, was once the headquarters of the Boko Haram caliphate.”

Mohammed dismissed the insinuation that Nigerian troops fighting the terror war were not being well taken care of, saying that the Federal Government was taking adequate care of the soldiers.

“President Muhammadu Buhari has seen to the welfare of our gallant troops fighting the war against terror. This is why the morale among our troops has been high,” the minister said.

Reacting to the apportioning of N2.2bn to the President and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, for travels, food and other uses, Mohammed maintained that the Buhari-led Federal Government was aware of the paucity of funds confronting the country.

He maintained that the Buhari-led Federal Government was frugal and would not engage in extravagant spending of resources.

“The Federal Government is aware of the paucity of funds in the country and cannot engage in extravagant spending,” Mohammed said.

-Punch