The Federal Government has said the decision to have a low-keyed celebration of this year's national Independence anniversary has nothing to do with fears over the threat of bombing by either the Movement for and Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND ) or the Boko Haram sect.
Speaking with journalists at the State House, Abuja on Thursday, the Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, accused the Nigerian media of unbalanced reporting and for trying to heat up the polity while reporting security issues of the country.
He was speaking in reference to publications in some national dailies which attributed the option of a quiet celebration of the country's independence to government's unease over threats that the usual venue of Eagle Square in Abuja or some other place would be bombed by terrorists.
"I want to make it very clear here that the fact that this independence is low keyed has nothing to do with fear of Boko Haram or any insecurity.
"First of all let me express my disappointment with one of the front page stories in one of the leading Newspapers today in which it claims that the federal government has stepped down celebrations in this year's anniversary because of "Boko Haram Scare" . I think this story was the highest level of lack of responsibility on the part of the management and Editors of the Newspapers" he said adding "that Nigeria belong to all of us, we must put the interest of this country first".
He further explained that the government had not always celebrated the independence anniversary every year with lavish and elaborate ceremonies and military parades, but had done so the last year because it was a golden jubilee celebration adding that the country had even had two major celebrations within one year. The golden jubilee and the presidential inauguration where million was spent.
"These were huge celebrations that cost huge resources to organize. And so it was in the wisdom of the federal government that this year's celebration will be low keyed. This is so that when Nigeria clocks 100 years in 2014, we will now have a full scale centenary celebration of our country. It is therefore shocking that a newspaper will go to town to make this type of claims. Now let me say this clearly here, for quite so time the media has been giving so much attention and newspaper space to every little claims from anti- state actors".
Source: 234NEXT
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