The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai
Mohammed, has disclosed that the real amount
misappropriated in the arms purchase is $15
billion.
Speaking at a town hall meeting organised by the
federal government yesterday in Kaduna, the
minister said revelations from the $2.1 billion
arms scandal was just a tip of the iceberg.
He said those who shared the $2.1 billion meant
for arms contributed to sending many innocent
soldiers and civilians to their early graves.
According to him, insecurity was the biggest
challenge the Buhari administration faced upon
assumption of office on May 29, 2015, adding
that the government had succeeded in subduing
the Boko Haram insurgents.
“I am happy to inform this gathering that we
have performed a rare feat by subduing Boko
Haram, making it impossible for the group to
carry out attacks.
“Some will argue that the insurgents are still
carrying out sporadic suicide bombings and other
attacks, even though they are now very few.
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“Well, our answer to that is simple: By its very
nature, no insurgency ends suddenly. They taper
off with time. Insurgencies are not conventional
wars and no agreements are signed to silence the
guns. Of course, no nation in the world is strong
enough to stop attacks on vulnerable targets like.
mosques, churches, motor parks, IDP camps, etc”
he said.
The minister stated further that the federal
government has also fared well in the fight
against corruption, saying: “Today, Nigerians are
less tolerant of corruption and corrupt people
than before.”
“This is because we have raised the bar in the
fight against this cankerworm. We have also
brought to the attention of Nigerians the cost of
corruption. Thanks to the sensitisation campaign
we launched earlier this year….
“Let me state here that the revelations from the $
2.1 billion dollars are just a tip of the iceberg,
because the total funds involved in the arms
purchase is $15 billion,” the minister said.
He said however that the nation’s economy posed
a great challenge to the administration following
the drastic fall in the price of crude oil, which is
the main foreign exchange earner.
“We have lost a substantial part of our earnings to
the massive crash in the price of oil. Think about
this: If you lose 70 per cent of your monthly
salary, your life can never be the same again.
He assured that the Administration had decided
to turn this disaster into a blessing by working
assiduously to diversify the economy away from
oil.
“Agriculture, Solid Minerals, Culture and Tourism
are some of the sectors we are currently working
to rejuvenate so they can earn huge revenues for
the country and create jobs,” Mohammed said.
Also speaking, Minister of State for Petroleum

menstrualpad:
We love corruption leave it alone. Now Lai have you refunded Osun airport fence money?