18th December, 2020
Minister of Information and Culture Alhaji Lai Mohammed has poked fun at Nigerians who mounted a #bringbackourboys campaign, hours after gunmen captured hundreds of Kankara schoolboys last week.
In a media briefing in Abuja today, Mohammed rebuked those who quickly politicised the kidnapping of the boys.
“We hope the naysayers have learnt their lessons.
“And we hope those who have started trading and politicking with the hashtag ‘BringBackOurBoys’ can now go home as our boys have been brought back, even before their dubious campaign could take off,” he said.
Mohammed bashed some Nigerians over their reaction to the kidnapping, describing their attitude as shameful.
“Some Nigerians went as far as denigrating their government and country in the most uncouth and irresponsible manner.
“They simply threw decorum to the wind and allowed their emotions to take a better part of them.
“When disasters and tragedies strike, people come together”, he said.
Mohammed said the Federal Government secured the release of the 344 schoolboys unconditionally from their abductors.
He also said no money exchanged hands in the course of negotiation for their release.
He added that the schoolboys secured their freedom without exchange of suspected or convicted bandits in the custody of the government.
The minister expressed government’s gratitude to the security and intelligence agencies for the great feat.
He equally thanked the government of Katsina and Zamfara States as well as Nigerians and friends of the country for their concerns, prayers and support.
Mohammed gave an assurance that the Muhammadu Buhari administration would do everything possible to prevent a recurrence of abductions in schools.
He also said the administration would not relent until all those still missing in Chibok and Dapchi were reunited with their families.