Boko Haram is no longer collecting tax from citizens – Lai Mohammed

Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed has again outlined “major wins” of the Buhari-led administration against Boko Haram insurgents. 

The Minister who spoke in a meeting with Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigerian (NPAN) in Lagos on Thursday December 3, stressed that the insurgents are no longer collecting tax from citizens because they no longer occupy any territory in the country. 

Lai said; 

“Now, let’s put things in context. Before Mr. President assumed office, Boko Haram could stroll into any city, especially in the north, to carry out deadly attacks. Abuja, the nation’s capital, Kano, Maiduguri, Jos, Damaturu, etc were regularly targeted. 

“Motor parks, churches, mosques, shopping complexes were not spared. Today, that is a thing of the past. Suicide bombers used to have a field day detonating their bombs and killing innocent people. 

“Today, that is no longer the case. Detonating improvised explosive devices (IEDs) used to be a deadly tactic of Boko Haram. Today, that has changed.

“Boko Haram used to occupy territory, deposing and installing Emirs and collecting taxes. That’s no longer the case. These changes are not mere happenstance. They are part of the successes recorded by the military, under this president.”

The Minister also accused those telling President Buhari to resign, of playing dirty politics. He said the calls for the president to resign every time there is a setback in the war on terror “is a needless distraction and cheap politicking”.

Lai added; 

“In the wake of the killing, there have been calls in some quarters for Mr. President to resign. 

“Well, let me say here that this call amounts to playing dirty politics with the issue of security, and it is cheap and irresponsible. Mr. President was elected in 2015 for a four-year term and re-elected in 2019 for another four-year term.

“No amount of hysterical calls for resignation will prevent him from serving out his term.”