The Federal Government (FG) has disclosed that it is considering placing a ban on the use of motorcycles and suspending mining activities in an effort to curb the activities of terrorists and also freeze their sources of funding and logistics being utilized to continue their criminal activities.
This was part of discussions during the National Security Council meeting on Thursday which was presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House in Abuja.
Addressing State House correspondents after the meeting, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami said investigations revealed that motorcycles are used by terrorists and bandits for mining activities from which the proceeds are used to purchase arms.
Malami said that terrorists have deviated from their traditional way of sourcing funds and are now involved in mining and hostage-taking for ransom, which has prompted the intervention of the FG.
He said despite the economic consequences of the ban, it is expected to cut-off funding and logistics for terrorists and bandits.
It is however unknown if the proposed motorcycle and mining ban would be nationwide or limited only to the affected parts of the country.
Speaking on the attack on the Kuje Medium Custodial Centre, the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola said that despite credible intelligence gathered about the attack, the attacks succeeded because “there was no will to act”.
Aregbesola also revealed that the report on the preliminary investigation of the Kuje prison attack has been submitted to President Buhari and “officers who have been found to renege on their responsibilities would be punished”.