Nigeria’s Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, on Thursday issued a stern warning to Nigerians to desist from using inflammatory language against the government.
Ministry of Defence Spokesperson, Mr Henshaw Ogubike, said in a statement that Matawalle gave the warning in Abuja against the backdrop of some “unguarded utterances” coming from some quarters of the country due to the security challenges in the country.
The Minister of State stated that such inflammatory and unguarded utterances against the government “are incitive and destructive and can exacerbate tensions and lead to violence in our beloved nation.”
He stressed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had the capacity and political will and was working round the clock to see that Nigeria was better and a well secured nation.
The Minister also highlighted the various policies the government had put in place to reshape and modernise the nation’s economy as well as to secure lives, liberty and property of the citizenry.
According to him, the President has given priority to the safety of citizens by equipping the Nigerian military to function optimally while the Service Chiefs have also been charged to rebuild the capacity of the security Services.
“Just recently, the president approved the creation of a committee that included Governors and Federal representatives that will explore among other things the possibility of establishing State Police that will help in checkmating crimes,” he added.
Matawalle, who also spoke on the economic policy of the Tinubu-led administration, said that because the President understood the nexus between insecurity and poverty, the government had increased its investment in MSMEs.
“This is in addition to the 15 million vulnerable households that will be added to the extended social safety net,” he said.
He added that the government was trying its best in tackling the economic challenges being experienced by Nigerians.
While noting the global nature of the challenges, he reassured the public that the president and his team were tirelessly working to alleviate the burdens on the Nigerian populace.
Matawalle, however, underscored the importance of unity, stating that what affects one Nigerian ultimately affects the entire nation.
“It is imperative for us as Nigerians to embrace dialogue and understanding in addressing our differences.
“We must remember that our strength lies in our diversity, and only through unity can we overcome the challenges facing our nation,” he added.
He, therefore, urged all citizens to prioritise peace, tolerance, and national cohesion in their words and actions, as they collectively strive towards building a prosperous and harmonious Nigeria.