News
Taliban Takeover: Nigeria Can’t Go Afghanistan Way, FG Claims
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed says Nigeria was not a failed state, and cannot go the way of Afghanistan where a terrorist group has taken the reign of power.
The minister stated this in Washington DC during his engagements with international media organisations, including the BBC Radio and Television, Bloomberg and Politico.
Mohammed is in the United States to meet with international media organisations and think tanks on the achievements of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration and efforts made so far in tackling insurgency, banditry and all forms of criminality.
Speaking after his respective meeting with the three media organisations, Mohammed said insinuations in certain quarters that the security situation in Nigeria could degenerate to that of Afghanistan was not correct.
He emphasized that Nigeria is winning the war against terror and the country cannot go the way of Afghanistan where the Taliban, a terrorist group, took over power.
“Nigeria is not and will not be a failed state. Yes, we have challenges in some corners of the country but that has not made Nigeria a failed state.
“A failed state is one where basic facilities are not available and everything has broken down, but Nigeria is not in that stage,’’ he said.
Mohammed said Nigeria is not at war adding that fake news and disinformation was being used to portray the country in a precarious situation.
The minister noted that the development in Afghanistan, had proven right the position of Buhari that when fighting an unconventional war, the country had to be resourceful
“If what happened in Afghanistan is something to go by, then the Federal Government should be given kudos for the way it has handled insurgency in the last couple of years.
“The lessons from Afghanistan, today, is that for over 20 years of American intervention and over a trillion dollars spent and thousands of American lives lost, it took the Taliban just a few weeks to recapture Afghanistan.
“This should be a lesson for everybody that when you are fighting an insurgency or movement driven by ideology, it is always difficult to overcome and you must be resourceful, deploying both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches.
“When people were saying we should invite mercenaries, the president was focused and maintained that our military have what it takes.
“The President should be given kudos for believing in our military and deploying both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches,’’ he said.
Mohammed said that Nigeria cannot be labelled a failed state because insecurity is only in “one corner of our country.”
According to the minister, insecurity is only in North-East and it’s caused by an ideologically driven terrorist group known as Boko Haram.
He added that the present administration, however, has “pinned” Boko Haram to a “very small area”.
Mohammed said, “In the North-East, we are facing the challenge of the Boko Haram, which is purely an ideologically driven terrorist group. What is happening in Afghanistan presently is a good pointer. It shows that a movement driven by ideology is very difficult to overcome. The US, having spent 20 years, trillions of dollars, thousands of lives lost, it took the Taliban only a few weeks to come.”
“This is what people should appreciate about fighting terrorism. The good news is that insurgents today are surrendering in droves and we are going after them. The truth of the matter is that the Nigerian government is winning the war against insurgents.”
When asked to back the claim with facts, Mohammed said, “The evidence of that is the number of insurgents that are now surrendering and they are surrendering not only their weapons, they are coming also with their relations and their families.”
When asked why schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram have not been released despite the success, he said; “This thing takes time. Don’t forget that in 2015, Boko Haram controlled a swathe of land the size of Belgium. Don’t forget that in 2015, the entire northeast was a no-go area, where schools were closed, markets were closed, hospitals were closed but today we have pinned them to a very small area.”
Mohammed also insisted that in spite of the challenges, Nigeria is “winning this war” and not a failed state.
“A failed state is not a state where you have challenges only in one corner of the country. A failed state is a state where you have general paralysis everywhere.”
When challenged that the facts show that insecurity is everywhere in Nigeria, Mohammed said, “I live in Nigeria, I work in Nigeria and I travel all around Nigeria and I can tell you Nigeria is not a failed state. I can tell you, yes we have challenges with banditry, we have challenges with separatist groups, it does not make this country, Nigeria, a failed state.“If what is happening in the last few weeks is anything to go by, we are winning this war.”
This reaffirms the lawmakers’ commitment to enacting laws and taking legislative actions geared towards the overall development of the State.
The Assembly gave the approval during its Second Legislative Sitting of the Fourth Session held last Friday.
Speaking on the MTEF document during plenary, the House Speaker, Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule, noted that by the provision of Section 10(1)(b) of the Rivers State Fiscal Responsibility Law No. 8 of 2010, the MTEF ought to have been laid before the House in September 2025.
Amaewhule explained that traditionally, the document is expected to be presented four months before the commencement of the next financial year and immediately after the expiration of every three-year fiscal cycle.
He, however, stated that in the interest of the State and its people, the House considered it necessary to deliberate on the document, describing it as a precursor to the 2026 Budget Estimates.
The Speaker expressed concern that the year had already progressed significantly before the presentation of the framework.
During deliberations on the document, members examined the assumptions and projections contained in the MTEF and observed that strict adherence to the outlined fiscal parameters would ultimately serve the interest of Rivers people.
The lawmakers maintained that effective implementation of the framework would promote prudent financial management and enhance developmental planning across the State.
Following the debate and positive consideration by members, the Speaker put the question to the House and members voted overwhelmingly in support of the approval of the MTEF.
Meanwhile, during the same sitting last Friday, the House also received a petition from the Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Council, Dr. Gift Worlu.
The petition was presented by the member representing Obio/Akpor Constituency II, Hon. Emilia Amadi.
According to the petition, concerns were raised over an imminent security breach, threats to lives, destruction of property and alleged forceful takeover of property by some lawless persons within parts of the Local Government Area.
Presenting the petition before the House, Hon. Amadi appealed to the lawmakers to revisit the matter and take necessary steps aimed at safeguarding lives and property in the affected communities.
The House is expected to further deliberate on the petition and consider measures to address the concerns raised in order to sustain peace and security in the area.
King Onunwor
News
Fubara Reaffirms Commitment To Blue Economy, Private Sector Growth …Calls For Protection Of Marine Resources
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, made this known during the opening ceremony of the 2026 Annual General Meeting and Conference of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), held in Port Harcourt, last Thursday.
Represented by his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, Governor Fubara described the conference theme, “The Gulf of Guinea and Blue Economy: Pathways to Trade, Investment and Security Towards a $1 Trillion Economy,” as both timely and strategic.
?
?The governor welcomed the leadership of NACCIMA, delegates from the 115 Chambers of Commerce across Nigeria, members of the diplomatic corps, captains of industry, investors, and other distinguished guests to Rivers State.
?
?He commended the National President of NACCIMA, Engr. Jani Ibrahim, for choosing Rivers State as the host of the 2026 conference, noting that the decision had drawn national attention to the immense economic opportunities embedded in the blue economy.
?
?Fubara stated that the blue economy possesses the capacity to generate revenue that could surpass earnings from the oil and gas sector if properly developed and managed.
?
?He stressed the need for Nigeria and other countries along the Gulf of Guinea to take deliberate steps toward maximizing the benefits of their maritime resources while guarding against the continued exploitation of coastal assets by foreign operators.
?
?Expressing concern over the activities of foreign fishing trawlers operating in Nigerian waters, the governor noted that many harvest seafood resources without making meaningful economic contributions to the country.
?
?He emphasized the need for stronger monitoring mechanisms and enhanced protection of Nigeria’s marine resources.
?
?”We must wake up and hit the ground running. If we do not capitalize on and utilize our blue economy, other nations will utilize it for us,” he stated.
?
?The governor thanked NACCIMA for what he described as a timely wake-up call on the importance of the blue economy and maritime security, adding that the successful hosting of the conference in Rivers State demonstrates the state’s safety, hospitality, and readiness for business and investment.
?
?Earlier in his remarks, the President of NACCIMA, Engr. Jani Ibrahim, expressed appreciation to the Rivers State Government for hosting the 66th Annual General Conference of the Association and for the warm reception accorded delegates.
?
?He noted that the state’s commitment to hosting the conference reflects its readiness for business and has helped restore investors’ confidence in its economic potential.
?
?According to him, NACCIMA highly values the cordial relationship between the Rivers State Government and the organized private sector, emphasizing that the association remains the foremost voice of the Nigerian business community.
?
?In her welcome address, the President of the Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (PHCCIMA), Dr. Chinyere Nwoga, described the conference as a historic milestone, noting that it was the first time in the Chamber’s 66-year history that it was hosting the national body of NACCIMA.
Nwoga commended the national leadership for entrusting PHCCIMA with the hosting rights and pledged the Chamber’s continued commitment to advancing the objectives of the association and promoting sustainable economic growth through private sector engagement.
Fubara gave the order during his visit to the site of the collapsed building last Thursday to assess the situation.
He said the site will remain “completely sealed off” until the government gets to the “root cause” of the incident.
He described the incident as unfortunate but observed that preliminary investigation had shown that the developer had earlier refused to subject his site to inspection by the state authorities and comply with the necessary building regulations.
The governor, who inspected the site alongside the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Sir Amairigha Edward Hart, and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Special Duties, Dabite Sokari George, explained that he couldn’t visit the site the previous day because he was awaiting formal briefing from the relevant agency of government on the situation.
“We’re here to see for ourselves the very unfortunate incident that took place here. I didn’t come yesterday because I wanted to get the report first, and the Commissioner did brief me that the incident site, first, is not as claimed by the developer, that it’s not under the jurisdiction of the state; that it’s under the jurisdiction of the Federal Housing Authority.
“He also informed me that when the project was ongoing, they came here severally to inspect what was happening and also to see the level of compliance. But unfortunately, that the developer kept claiming that we don’t have any right to interfere,” he said.
Fubara said that the issue was no longer about interference but about the life lost to the building collapse and the collateral damage brought upon the family of the deceased.
He extended condolences to the families of the victims, insisting that the incident could have been avoided if the developer had complied with the rules guiding the engineering design and construction of such a structure in the 21st century.
“We feel very sorry and very regretful that such an incident should be happening in this 21st century because technology has advanced, engineering has developed. I wonder what kind of engineer would even allow this kind of project to go on when everything about it from inception has been faulty.
“I think that at this point, nothing is going to happen on this site any more. We are going to make sure that this place is completely sealed off until we get to the root cause of this incident,” the governor said.
-
Rivers3 days ago
Rivers Police Uncovers Firearm Concealed In Loaf Of Bread
-
Niger Delta2 days agoPro-Chancellor Hands Over Okey Onuchuku Peace, Conflict Institute Building
-
Sports3 days ago
Six Nigerians To Play For NBA Teams
-
News2 days agoFubara Reaffirms Commitment To Blue Economy, Private Sector Growth …Calls For Protection Of Marine Resources
-
Business3 days ago
Gas Economy: Decade of Gas, Pi-CNG/ EV Deepen Media Engagement
-
Business2 days agoIPMAN Raises Concern Over Delay In Chinese Refinery Deal …Predicts Lower Fuel Prices Through Competition
-
Sports3 days ago
NPFL Warns Newly Promoted Clubs
-
Politics3 days agoSenate Defends Passage Of State Police Bill