Maku said the trillions of naira expended to maintain security in the North-East in particular would have been spent on developmental projects and programmes.
According to him, the money voted for security is "going into flames because if not for the insurgency in the north-east, this money would have been used to create jobs for millions of people".
Maku also alleged that members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) were behind the protests over the abduction of the schoolgirls of Chibok, Borno State.
Accusing the APC of playing politics with the girls' abduction, the minister claimed that 90 percent of the protesters are members of the party.
Maku said it was unfair of the APC to blame the Federal Government over the incident as it was busy spending money to maintain security in states controlled by the party.
"Today, the Federal Government is spending a huge chunk of its resources in maintaining security especially in the north east, yet they (the APC) constitute over 90 percent of those protesting against the federal government.
"Look at the entire money we are spending, it is to maintain security in states controlled by this party, the APC. So why do you come back and start playing politics? We are busy spending money to maintain security in those states, what have they done about it? 90 percent of the insurgency is in states controlled by this party, and 90 percent of those campaigning to bring back the Chibok girls are also members of this same party", he said.
Maku also chided a section of the media for not exposing the politicians allegedly organising the protests over the schoolgirls' abduction.
"It's because the media will look the other way. I think that honestly, if we want this country to grow, we must ask the relevant questions. The Chibok girls' abduction is the most traumatic thing we've faced, but politicians have taken over the protests. A lot of crocodile tears are being shed. The federal government is a fire fighter. We did not create this insurgence or the structure that led to it. You know where they came from, but you are now blaming the fire fighter for the fire", he said.
Maku, who said the violence in the north-east had overwhelmed the achievements recorded by the Jonathan administration in the last three years, said the FEC yesterday reviewed the implementation of the national plan within the period and concluded that the administration had done well across all sectors.
Speaking further, the minister said Jonathan had been "the leader with the greatest level of difficulty generated by Nigerians.
"No leader has faced this kind of insurgency in this country. But in President Jonathan, we have seen calmness and patience...Those exploding bombs want to frustrate our democracy. But in spite of that, this administration has fared well despite the negative dismisal of what has been achieved", Maku said.
Source: Daily Trust
