Taliban: Why Nigeria May Go Afghanistan Way – Senator
Nigeria may go Afghanistan way because Afghanistan is the number one on the global terrorist list and she has just been overthrown by Taliban terrorists.
With Nigeria as the number three (3) seconding Iran on that list with a coalition of ISWAP and Boko Haram molesting her territory almost unchallenged, a historic defeat may be in view.
Although the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, says Nigeria is not a failed state and cannot go the way of Afghanistan where the terrorist group has taken the rein of power.
The minister stated this in Washington DC during his engagements with international media organisations including BBC Radio and Television, Bloomberg and Politico.
The minister is in the U.S. to meet with international media organisations and think tanks on the achievements of the President, Muhammadu Buhari’s administration and efforts made so far in tackling insurgency, banditry and all form of criminality.
Speaking with NAN after his respective meeting with the three media organisations, Mohammed said insinuation in certain quarters that the security situation in Nigeria could degenerate to that of Afghanistan was not correct.
He emphasised that Nigeria is winning the war against terror and the country cannot go the way of Afghanistan where the Taliban, a terrorist group took overpower.
“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.
The minister noted that the development in Afghanistan had proven right the position of President 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-dollar 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 has what it takes.
“The President should be given kudos for believing in our military and deploying both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches,” he said.
