Vice President Yemi Osinbanjo has said he had seen wealthy individuals who are being enlisted into terrorism.
He, however, did not name the individuals.
A statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr. Laolu Akande, on Tuesday, quoted the Vice President as speaking while receiving the United States Special Envoy on Counter Terrorism Communication, Rashad Hussain, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Monday.
Osinbajo was quoted as saying that the development is a clear departure from the case of those who were lured into participating in terrorism acts for money.
“I have seen people who are well-to-do being recruited into terrorism,” the statement quoted Osinbajo as saying.
He wondered why for some strange reasons, terrorism that appears completely mindless and almost insane gains currency in a way that gets regular recruits.
He said it would have been understandable if the campaign of the terrorists preaches better life, equity and such other lofty ideas.
The Vice President disclosed that a crisis communication centre that provides information countering violent extremist ideology, especially in the North-East, would be set up by the present administration.
He said the decision to set up the centre was taken because of the government’s resolve to define and disseminate positive narratives that expose the evil of terrorism.
He also disclosed that government is going to put up a campaign involving civil societies, young people and Non-Governmental Organisations, coming together and interacting to provide positive counter narratives against those of violent groups like Boko Haram.
Earlier, Hussain said based on the American experience and the happenings in other parts of the world, Boko Haram has a strong propaganda in the media that has to be countered.
He observed that the majority of the people have already rejected Boko Haram but the voices of the minority is being played and re-played in the media causing content imbalance.
According to him, Presidents Muhammadu Buhari and Barack Obama had discussed this issue during their White House meeting in July.
SOURCE -: http://ift.tt/1MBLRON
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