Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has punctured a report that the Federa; Government paid bandits N20m for them not to shot President Muhammadu Buhari’s aircraft.
He said those saying so were ignorant to bandits’ network in the country.
The minister said with the recent notable successes recorded by the military on insecurity, he was amused by a story on Monday that the Nigerian Air Force paid N20 million to bribe bandits so that they would not bring down the president’s aircraft.
He said on a TVC programme on Monday, “Fortunately, the Air Force immediately debunked this because this exposes their ignorance.
“Between Zamfara, Katsina, parts of Kaduna and Niger states, there are about 150 bandit camps. Who then was the money given to?
“It does not make any sense and it is because they do not understand how bandits operate that is why they can peddle that kind of fake news,’’ he said.
Mohammed said with the improved security situation in the North-East and North-Central Zones the nation would experience improved food security.
“If you observe what is happening of recent, you can see heightened activities in the agricultural area.
“This is because of the superior fire power of the military which is now making it possible for people to go to their farms, especially in the North East.
“They have been able to put the criminals at bay,’’ he said.
The minister gave an assurance that the success of the military against terrorists and bandits would be sustained.
He therefore solicited the cooperation and support of Nigerians for the sustenance of the military action.
