Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, says non-state actors cannot overwhelm the Federal Government.
The emergence of non-state actors has been undeniable in Southern Nigeria. Prominent amongst these actors include Yoruba rights activist, Sunday Adeyemo, also known as Sunday Igboho; former militant in the Niger Delta region, Mujahid Asari-Dokubo; leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, amongst others. Some of the non-state actors have cited injustice, insecurity, amongst other reasons for their agitations.
But speaking in an interview on Thursday, the minister said the government and its security agencies are not overwhelmed by the non-state actors.
“Yes, the non-state actors may be rampaging in some parts of the country, they have not and cannot overwhelm this government,’’ he said, according to the News Agency of Nigeria.
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The presidency was reacting to a recent article co-authored by Campbell and Robert Rotberg.
The authors, in the article published on Foreign Affairs, said Nigeria is in big trouble and has failed in its obligation to provide security to those it governs.
They also said Nigeria, “Africa’s giant”, is failing and on the verge of collapse.
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Reacting in a statement on Thursday, Garba Shehu, presidential spokesman, said while Campbell is entitled to his opinions, events have proven his predictions wrong.
Shehu further said Campbell distorted facts to suit an argument when he wrote in the article that President Muhammadu Buhari requested that AFRICOM be moved to Nigeria.
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Campbell and Rotberg said this in an article titled, ‘The Giant of Africa is Failing’ which was published in the May/June edition of ‘Foreign Affairs magazine.