George Akume, secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), says recent statements by US President Donald Trump concerning the security situation in Nigeria have emboldened violent groups seeking to exploit international narratives to launch fresh attacks across the country.
Trump recently tagged Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” and accused the federal government of turning a blind eye to attacks on Christians.
Akume spoke in Abuja on Wednesday at a press briefing called to highlight the evolution of violent extremism, the Boko Haram and ISWAP insurgency, and banditry in the north region of the country.
The SGF said insurgency has evolved on two major fronts—the north-east ideological extremism linked to global terrorist networks and the north-west crisis driven “purely by economic incentives”, including illegal mining, cattle rustling, extortion and kidnapping-for-ransom.