Bandits, Boko Haram Now Working Together, Says Lai Muhammed

The Federal Government has said that it has reason to believe that bandits and Boko Haram are working together.

Disclosing this to journalists at the state house, the Minister of Information, Lai Muhammed said that the have reports which are findings from the Abuja-Kaduna train attack.

He disclosed this shortly after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting which was presided over by president Muhammadu Buhari.

When the Minister of Defense, Rtd. Major General Bashir Salihu Magashi was asked about the attackers of the train, the information minister responded, saying Boko Haram and Bandits are working together.

“What is happening now is that there is a kind of an unholy handshake between bandits and Boko Haram insurgents. 

"Preliminary reports of what transpired at the Kaduna train attacks shows that there is a kind of collaboration between the bandits and the dislodged Boko Haram terrorists from the northeast."

He further stated that the government is on top of the matter.

The defense minister also said that the security chiefs are working hard to unravel perpetrators of the act.

He explained further that that as soon as they are done, the public would be informed including the incidents in Jos and Kaduna.

“Honestly, I think the security chiefs are working hard to unveil those that are involved, and we will tell you very soon those that are carrying out these attacks. 

"Both Jos and Kaduna, we will come and explain to the public what is really going on and our efforts to ensure that all these activities are stopped once and for all."

"The information minister was then quizzed about the 72-hour ultimatum given by families of the kidnapped victims of the train attack, and he said the government won't reveal anything in a press conference as lives were at stake.

"What the federal government is doing won’t be subject matter of a press conference, because we have lives at stake", he stated.