The Federal Government said it was erroneous and misleading the accusation in certain quarters that it was treating bandits with kid gloves.
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed stated this on Tuesday when he featured on Nigeria Television Authority programme, “Good Morning Nigeria’’.
Speaking on renewed onslaught against bandit on the programme monitored by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, the minister said banditry was criminality with no basis on religion or ideology.
He said the approach of the federal government through the military in treating criminals was not to make a distinction between bandits and terrorists.
“I think we have been dancing around nomenclature; a criminal is a criminal whether it is a bandit or terrorist and the same measure is being meted out to them.
“That is why we find it ridiculous, the accusation that the federal government is softer on bandits than the separatists and other criminals.
“This is a fallacy, a fake news and misinformation all into one, and this is the kind of divisive rhetoric being promoted by some naysayers,’’ he said.
Mohammed said it was senseless for the military to treat bandits, who were killing soldiers and policemen, with kid gloves.
He added that the method of the military in fighting criminality through the land and air would not allow for any distinction between bandits and other criminals.
Mohammed said with the renewed onslaught against bandits and certain measures taken by the governors of the states where bandits were operating, they were winning the war.
He said the governors had learnt from the mistakes of the past and had resolved that they would not negotiate with bandits but to go after them and not spare them.
Mohammed said measures, such as suspension of mobile telecommunication networks in certain areas and the ban on sale of petroleum products in jerry cans and at filling stations around the land borders were yielding fruits.
He added that the ban on sale of fairly used motorcycles in some markets and restriction on the use of “junction motor parks’’ in the states were also yielding results. (NAN)
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