The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has disclosed that the Federal Government is yet to prosecute suspected terrorism financiers because the process requires extensive and delicate investigations that cannot be fast tracked.
In an interview with Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, Idris clarified that, in contrast to popular belief, the situation involved more than just compiling a list and bringing suspects to court right away.
The minister’s remarks coincided with mounting worries over purported government involvement in the nation’s worsening instability.
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Successive governments have faced intense public pressure to identify and prosecute individuals suspected of funding terrorism activities, particularly Boko Haram, ISWAP, and bandit groups operating in the Northern region of the nation.
Under former President Muhammadu Buhari, officials disclosed that some suspected terrorism financiers had been identified, raising expectations that trials would soon follow.
However, there hasn’t been a high-profile prosecution, which has led to criticism from security analysts and civil society organisations who contend that the public’s mistrust of government efforts to combat insecurity is strengthened by the delays.
Addressing the matter, Idris said, “It is not a question of having the list or not having the list; it is not as simplistic as that. Investigations have to be conducted. In some cases, there are merits in what they said.
“You don’t say, ‘because pronouncements have been made, let me take you to court directly.’ There must be sufficient investigation carried out.
“Unfortunately, when you are fighting these kinds of battles, it is not something that you just sort out within a day or two. That is why, all the time, we are calling on our partners within and outside this country to understand the complexity and diversity of the situation we have here.”
The minister insisted that the administration of President Bola Tinubu was “working assiduously” to combat security concerns and terrorism.
He pointed out that since May 2023, a lot of progress had been accomplished, but he added that many Nigerians tended to ignore the advancements.
“Sometimes we forget the successes we have recorded in the fight against bandits, criminals, and some of these jihadists. From May 2023 to date, over 13,500 of these criminals have been neutralised and taken off our society.
“Over 17,000 of them have been apprehended. Even as we speak, some of them are having their day in court, and some have been sentenced. I think we should recognise these efforts.”
The minister stated that President Tinubu was already preparing the list and that the nominees were going through security screening in response to the postponed appointment of ambassadors.
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The minister highlighted that misconceptions regarding Nigeria’s security issues were being cleared up and confirmed continued diplomatic contacts between Nigeria, the US, and other nations.
“We agree that ambassadors should be there (US), and the President has agreed that he is going to release this list. As I speak with you, the President is finalising it. They have passed them to security agencies for checks. I can tell you that ambassadors are going to be appointed pretty soon.
“There is diplomatic engagement happening between Nigeria and the United States and other countries. What we feel is that there is no proper understanding of what the situation is about.
“This is the message we are taking to them. We are open to any kind of cooperation—regional, international, American or anybody who wants to see that there is an end to this crisis in Nigeria.”
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