From Okwe Obi, Abuja
The Action Democratic Party (ADP) has decried the rise in kidnapping and killings across Nigeria’s South-West region.
The party is accusing the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of playing politics with insecurity in the country.
ADP National Publicity Secretary Prince Adelaja Adeoye in a statement reminded the Federal Government that its duty remains the protection of lives and property, regardless of ethnicity, religion or region.
Adeoye drew the attention of the government to Oyo State, pointing to a rise in cases of kidnapping, banditry and illegal entrance by invaders.
‘The party in a similar call in the past, raised an alarm over the invasion of some Jihadist fundamentalists, who were reportedly camped at Oke-Ogun area of Oyo State, which is one on the border post to other international communities, surprisingly, there was no response of the government to that,’ he said.
‘The activities of Bandits and other criminal elements, terrorizing, kidnapping, killing and maiming innocent residents, around Oke-Ogun, Saki, Ibarapa and others, is becoming unbearable, which has led to series of protests by the people in those areas, which has now called for the urgent collaboration of the Federal government and the state government, to be able to frontally tackle the growing Insecurity in these places.
‘We call on the President not to keep looking, while every part of the country is consumed by Insecurity, noting that such won’t be a good legacy, after the President’s exit at the expiration of his tenure in 2023.
‘We call on critical stakeholders in South-West, not to allow but totally reject what appears as the importation of insecurity to the region, canvass for more support for Amotekun Corps, who has been helping in their own ways to flush out these criminals.’
He added that politicians, especially those in the South-West APC, ‘should avoid playing dirty politics with the issue of this insecurity, calling on them to come together and avoid name-calling or blame game, because everyone is open and vulnerable to being a victim of this ugly security situation.
‘This is coming on the backdrop of the successes recorded by the Amotekun security outfit recently, for their gallantry effort in confronting some bandits and militias in the forests, where they were reportedly camped, and said to have been terrorizing, killing farmers and others innocent people across southwestern state.
‘We should critically examine the security situation in every part of Nigeria, the outcome, as usual, will be a sad tale, due to our weakened security architecture.
‘The honest expectations of Nigerian people is that Mr President should be able to seek for help from independent security experts, stakeholders so that they can join him in building a formidable security network, that will properly protect our citizens, however, despite the continuous call by Nigerians, members of the legislative arms, for President Buhari to replace the service chiefs, he appears unbothered for a reason best known to him, while the security situation continues to deteriorate.
‘The governors who do not have the power to command or control federal police, are at the mercy of the Presidency in the case of security concerns and challenges. Some of them, who came up with an alternative solution with their security votes, such as Amotekun, are still facing all manners of resistance from those who are hell-bent on playing politics of blackmail and bitterness with the lives of the people.
‘In actual fact, Governors are called Chief Security officers of their states, but the smacking reality is far from that, because it is only the President that has the constitutional power to direct IGP, and his state commissioners to swing into actions.
‘This is one of the reasons, there must be restructuring or call it devolution of power so that a workable system that will truly serve and protect all citizens would be put in place.
‘The report of kidnapping in Lagos, Ekiti, Kogi, Benue, Ogun, Ondo, Niger, Kaduna, Enugu and other states, has continued to lead to heightened tension, unfortunately, people have been blaming the governors who are not constitutionally empowered to summon Police and other security agents to perform magic.
‘While the efforts of our security agents must be commended, there is need for the President to holistically review their operations and introduce new tacts, compensations and other ideas, that will make them be more effective.’