Mind your words, FG cautions Orji Kalu

The Federal Government has taken a swipe at a former Governor of Abia State, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, describing the statements credited to him in the media on the dreaded sect, Boko Haram, as irresponsible and outlandish.
Kalu was reported to have blamed the security agencies for the recent series of bomb attacks in the northern part of the country, alleging that their target was to keep attracting funding from the government.
He spoke on Tuesday when members of Sports Writers Association, Abuja chapter, paid him a visit.
He was quoted as having said: “When people like me speak, they label us.
“The security agencies are planting some if these bombs, not Boko Haram.
“This is the truth I am telling you and people wait to see Nigerians die for them to say this is Muslims and Christians fighting.”
Reacting to the statement on Wednesday, the Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, warned the former governor to mind his words as such insinuation could demoralize the security personnel.
Maku said: “On the alleged accusation by the former governor of Abia State, I have been in the Federal Executive Council meeting since morning I have not read the papers.
“But if it is true that he said so, you know that the former governor is a highly placed former public officer.
“When we sit out and make those outlandish accusations, what we do is to show ingratitude, is to show lack of sensitivity and lack of responsibility.
“And this is really very sad.
“This is truly very sad.
“Check other countries.
“When America deploys their troops and security forces to defend their country, you see that their citizens speak with responsibly.
“But in Nigeria, we have politicized virtually every aspect of our country, including ongoing security operations.
“And the least that is expected of us as leaders and citizens is that we should appreciate the sacrifices of members of our armed forces.
“It is only in Nigeria that even when you deploy your troops on sensitive duties, public officers who should have a high level of responsibility accuse them, make statements that make our men and women in uniform feel very sad in the course of placing their lives on the line for the security of our families.”
The minister contended that Chief Kalu’s allegation meant that “the police are the ones bombing police barracks and killing their members.
“That is what the allegation means.
“I do not expect this kind of statement, in my opinion, from highly placed public officers.
“At any rate, if anyone, for example like the person you mentioned, has any information about this, the best that would be done is for him to forward the information properly, connect either to the next police station or report to the Inspector General of Police.
“Look, I have fresh evidence that members of the armed forces are the ones exploding bombs.
“Then we will now have a formal investigation.
“But what we have seen in recent times is that, particularly we the politicians, we take the soap box to politicize the insecurity in this nation and it is very dangerous.
“Because I can tell you clearly that if our security personnel lose morale because of the kind of statement that we make, or we try to divide their loyalty in the unit of our armed forces and the security personnel by the way we speak, we will be damaging further the security of this country and its stability.
“And I think this is not right.”