The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has questioned the arrest, by the All
Progressives Congress (APC) government, of organizers of a peaceful
protests against the unchecked mass killing by bandits and insurgents in
Katsina and other parts of the country, particularly in the north.
The PDP described as absurd, but revealing, that the APC-led government
would arrest, harass and detain victims of the bandits but chose to
negotiate, hobnob with and even pay money to the assailants.
This arrest further raises demands for the APC and its governors,
particularly, those who openly confessed to have had contacts,
negotiations and financial dealing with the bandits, to come clean on
their alleged links with insurgents and marauders.
Such actions by the APC administration, in addition to utterances of its
leaders, have continued to dishearten Nigerians while emboldening
bandits and insurgents to continue to pillage our communities, hold
towns to ransom and visit all manner of violence on vulnerable Nigerians
in various parts of the country.
The PDP recalls utterances by certain APC leaders, including asking
victims of attacks not to revenge even in the face of poor security
presence in affected communities as well as admission by government that
the marauders were mercenaries from the Sahel region and armed deserters
from late Muammah Gadaffi’s Libya.
The PDP reminds Nigerians that the APC and its leaders are yet to
explain the whereabouts of the thugs they imported as political
mercenaries from neighboring countries, particularly Chad and Niger
Republic to support the party’s bid during the build-up to the 2019
general elections.
Furthermore, the APC and its leaders are yet to answer how marauders who
were already pushed to the fringes by the PDP administration, resurged
under their watch.
Nigerians can recall that prior to the 2015 general elections,
insurgency had been extensively compressed, leading the successful
conduct of the general election in all the 774 local governments across
the country.
It is therefore clear that the constant narrative by the APC that some
local governments were under the control of insurgents, when it took
over office, is a mere propaganda.
The situation in Katsina and other northern states ought to be seen by
the Buhari administration as a patriotic call to wake up to its
responsibilities and take a decisive action to flush out the bandits and
secure our nation.
The PDP counsels President Muhammadu Buhari to go beyond endless
meetings within the comfort of the Aso Presidential villa and, for once,
lead from the front in this fight against insurgency and banditry in our
country.
Signed:
Kola Ologbondiyan
National Publicity Secretary
