The Federal Government says that henceforth, any attack or destruction of Police stations, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) offices and other critical public infrastructure and facilities is no more classified as vandalism but a form of terrorism.
It lamented that government’s efforts were being frustrated by those it described as “unpatriotic citizens” through wanton destruction of critical infrastructure, thereby depriving Nigerians of enjoying such infrastructure.
Consequently, the Federal Government has threatened to do everything within its power to stop the destruction of public infrastructure and facilities by exposing, arresting and prosecuting those who steal or buy stolen items.
Speaking at a town hall meeting on protection of public infrastructure organised by the Ministry of Information and Culture in Abuja, the Minister, Lai Mohammed lamented that critical infrastructure being developed by government were being destroyed.
He listed such items as railway tracks, bridge railings, manhole covers, streetlights and power infrastructure such as oil pipelines, telecoms facilities and critical aviation groundwork.
He noted that Nigeria had long suffered massive infrastructure deficit due to decades of neglect, population explosion and lack of maintenance culture, but since 2015, the Muhammadu Buhari administration embarked on rapid economic development anchored on accountability and equity.
Mohammed pointed out that the Buhari administration had managed to bridge the infrastructure deficit gap, stressing that previous governments did little hence the need to do everything possible to stop the destruction of public infrastructure and facilities.
“Apart from endangering the lives of innocent citizens, such unpatriotic acts take a huge toll on government’s revenue to replace, rehabilitate or reconstruct such destroyed infrastructure. Removal of rail tracks can cause train derailment, with deadly consequences, just as tampering with aviation infrastructure endangers the lives of passengers.
This story first appeared in The Guardian, https://guardian.ng/news/attacks-on-police-inec-facilities-acts-of-terrorism-fg-declares/
