The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed says opposition parties are planning to frustrate the forthcoming elections by sponsoring violence across 10 Northern States in order to create constitutional crisis leading to the setting up of an interim government.
The Minister who stated this on Monday while briefing newsmen in Abuja said bandits and Boko Haram elements have been armed to undertake massive attacks in 10 states of northern Nigeria.
He explained that the opposition resorted to arming merchants of death because of their perceived inability to match President Buhari’s popularity and expected victory at the forthcoming polls.
“You have definitely seen the massive and warm reception that President Buhari has been receiving across the country, compared to the thinning crowds that have been attending the opposition rallies. ‘’Having realized that their fortunes have dwindled badly ahead of the polls, the desperate opposition is orchestrating widespread violence, with a view to truncating the elections, thus triggering a constitutional crisis that could snowball into the establishment of an interim government.
“Before you accuse the government of crying wolf, let me tell you, gentlemen, that we have credible intelligence that armed bandits and Boko Haram insurgents have been mobilized to engage in massive attacks and other acts of violence in several states across the country, including Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Benue, Kano, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Plateau, Taraba and Zamfara.
“The Benue-based armed criminal group, led by Terwase Akwaza, also known as Gana, has been commissioned to strike soft targets in Benue, Nasarawa, and Taraba states. In Kano State, a group of notorious miscreants have been mobilized by some prominent opposition leaders to provoke massive chaos before, during and after the elections.
“There is also an international dimension to the evil plan. Some armed mercenaries from Niger Republic have been contracted to attack top government functionaries, including state governors, across the North-West, between now and the elections.”
Speaking on the credibility of the intelligence, the minister said: “We have intelligent reports and we have an obligation to protect lives and property, we also have obligation to ensure there is stability in the country.
“On whether the Federal Government has opened dialogue with Niger Republic on the threats, for the fact that we are aware of the threats, we have to alert the public to take right actions. The matter is being looked into in collaboration with other member nations within the Lake Chad Basin.”
