Insecurity: APC In ‘Blood Business’ With Bandits, Insurgents – PDP Says

…Insists Kankara students’ abduction still the shame of APC, Buhari Presidency

BY GRACE ANYANWU, ABUJA – The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Saturday said revelations trailing the abduction and release of 600 students by bandits have exposed the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a party in league with bandits, insurgents and terrorists ravaging the nation.

The PDP further said that such revelations clearly explained why the APC has been acting as the mouthpiece of bandits, rationalizing killings and kidnapping, showing express sympathy to terrorists, refusing to condemn acts of terrorism but attacking any person or groups that dare to criticize the activities of the bandits or demand unconditional release of abductees.

It specifically noted that Thursday’s statement by the Governor Mai Buni-led leadership of the APC, in which it showed support to bandits by condemning genuine protest by Nigerian women and youth in Abuja, has further betrayed the APC as a party that has vested interest in the proceeds of these reprehensible enterprises.

These were contained in a statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan in which he stressed that the statement credited to the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, wherein he attempted to rationalize the abduction of the 600 students as a normal occurrence in other parts of the world, validates apprehensions of high-level conspiracy against helpless Nigerians.

The party also said that the outburst by the Buhari Presidency, blaming the killed 43 farmers in Borno state instead of taking steps to apprehend their assailants also readily comes to mind.

According to the PDP; “The posers are; why is the APC always showing sympathy for and canvassing understanding for bandits, insurgents and terrorists?

“Why is the APC not always forthcoming in condemning acts of terrorism and banditry but only issuing lame and patronizing press statements after being prodded and called-out by well-meaning Nigerians including the PDP?

“Furthermore, why is the APC and its administration always attacking any person or groups who condemns acts of terrorism or make suggestions on how to vanquish the terrorists?

“What is APC and its leaders gaining from the activities of bandits, terrorists, vandals and kidnappers that they now act as if they are sureties for these assailants?

“Why has APC refused to account for the political mercenaries it imported from Niger Republic and Chad to unleash violence during the 2019 elections as well as come clean on allegations that they are these crops of people are unleashing their anger on the nation following the failure of the APC to settle them?

“This is particularly against the backdrop of reported declaration by President Muhammadu Buhari that the abductors and tormentors of our 600 traumatized and brutalized students were rather “settled”; a statement that does not only confirm that the Buhari Presidency cannot combat terrorists but also explains why banditry, kidnapping and acts of terrorism have become a thriving bloody business under the APC,” PDP stated.

The party also noted that it is imperative to state that the APC’s sympathy for acts of terrorism had led to escalated attacks on our compatriots in the last five years.

It noted as very worrisome that the government under the APC can no longer battle bandits and insurgent and now has to rely on nascent groups coordinated by APC leaders to negotiate and pay ransom to assailants.

It said; “Such devious designs have elevated acts of terrorism to a per-second affair in our nation under the encouragement of the APC.

“The reported attack on the traditional ruler of Kaura Namoda in Zamfara state as well as the abduction of the traditional ruler of Ankpa in Kogi state, just after the settlement of the Katsina bandits, shows a disturbing trend”.

The PDP therefore called on Nigerians to hold the APC responsible for the escalated act of banditry, kidnapping and terrorism ravaging our nation.

It said that perhaps, the time has come for Nigerians, whose loved ones have been kidnapped or killed by kidnappers or bandits, to approach the APC for redress.