The federal government has admonished fifth columnists and naysayers to stop spewing negative and false narratives around Boko Haram members who are surrendering in droves in the North-east.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, gave the admonition in an interview, Friday in Washington.
The Nigerian Army had said no fewer than 1,000 Boko Haram fighters and their families had surrounded in recent weeks in the southern Borno towns of Konduga, Bama, and Mafa.
The minister described as false and demoralising’’ the claim in certain quarters that the surrendered insurgents would be recruited into the Nigerian military.
He said rather than changing the narratives, President Muhammadu Buhari and the military should be respectfully commended for their resourcefulness and doggedness respectively in the fight against insurgency.
“The fact that we are witnessing insurgents submitting in droves calls for commendation of our military for their doggedness.
“We must not forget two months ago, Nigerians were putting pressure on the President to recruit mercenaries to fight the war against terror because they said we were losing the war.
“The President, however, remained focused and confident in his belief in the Nigerian military that they have what it takes to defeat the insurgents.
We thank God that Mr President today has been proven right.
“We were able to achieve this, largely because of the leadership of Mr President in providing the wherewithal continually to the military and ensuring that their fighting morale is sustained by way of welfare packages,’’ he said.
The minister said it was unfortunate and inconceivable that some Nigerians would be going about with fake news that the surrendered insurgent would be engaged into the military.
(NAN)
