The Federal Government has come up with a comprehensive strategy to tackle violent extremism across the country, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has said.

Speaking during a visit to the offices of the Leadership newspapers in Abuja on Tuesday, the Minister said the strategy was contained in a document entitled 'Policy Framework and National Action Plan for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism', which was launched by President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja on Tuesday.

The document was developed after consultations with the agencies of government, civil society organisations, the media, the academia and the international community, he said.

Mohammed said the Buhari administration was steadily restoring peace and security to the North East, which was in the grip of the terrorists when the government assumed office in 2015.

“We have put Boko Haram on the run. Occasionally they attack soft targets, but even that is being tackled with intelligence-driven measures,” he said.

The Minister also said the administration was revamping the economy, adding that the Naira is now stable and foreign reserves have risen from US$23 billion to US$35 billion within a year. Nigeria has been named among the top 10 reforming economies in the world and the country has leapfrogged 24 places in the ease of doing business rankings.

“We are taming inflation, which has fallen for eight consecutive months. We are building infrastructure and we are creating jobs. Also, I am glad to inform you that capital importation into Nigeria in Q3 2017 recorded a substantial increase, compared to the past few quarters as the economy continued to recover from recession. The total capital imported in Q3 was recorded at $4,145.1 million, more than double the inflow in the second quarter of this year, representing an increased value of 147.5 percent on a year-on-year basis,” he said.

On the fight against corruption, Mohammed said the administration was winning the war against corruption, having succeeded in driving corruption under the table.

He hailed the Leadership newspapers for carrying out its duties professionally, adding: “You have supported us and you have criticised us, and each time you have been guided by the ethics of your profession – fairness, accuracy, impartiality, truthfulness, and objectivity,'' he said.

•Photo shows Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed (right) and Chairman of Leadership Newspapers, Mr. Sam Nda-Isaiah, during a courtesy visit by the Minister to the headquarters of newspapers in Abuja on Tuesday.

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