The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked the All Progressives Congress (APC) to settle its “political mercenaries” and ensure the swift and safe return of the 42 persons abducted from the Government Science College in Kagara, Niger State.
This was made known in a statement issued by Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, on Wednesday.
The PDP condemned the attack, saying the bandits were emboldened by the failure of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC govt to take a decisive step to tackle the scourge of insecurity ravaging the country.
According to the main opposition party, elected government officials under the APC platform were busy with their membership registration and revalidation exercising instead of attending to critical matters of state, especially the rising spate of insecurity.
The party claimed that the abduction exposed APC leaders patronise bandits as they have failed to categorically condemn criminal elements operating across the country.
The statement read: “The PDP tasks security forces to go after the outlaws and rescue the children.
“Nigerians were jolted by the Tuesday’s coordinated bandit attacks, kidnapping and killings in several communities in Niger state. Bandits were reported to have on Tuesday, moved from village to village, supported by a helicopter, as they pillaged our compatriots, sacked major highways and held communities in Niger state hostage for several hours without any counter-attack.
“The PDP describes as revealing that while the people of Niger state and Nigerians in other states were under attack by bandits, APC leaders, including those in Niger State, were busy pursuing their party’s phony membership re-registration exercise, instead of rallying security and rescue efforts for the people.
“The lethargic stance of the APC administration towards the fight against banditry further validates reports in the public space that the bandits are connected to the APC and enjoying cover under the ruling party.
“This probably explains why the APC never raised a strong voice against what has become a national calamity. Instead, APC leaders are patronising the bandits and making excuses for them.”
The PDP called on the APC to negotiate with the bandits, whom it described as the ruling party’s mercenaries, and end the agony of distraught family members, who are worried about the safety of their loved ones in captivity.
“Our party charges the APC to speak out on these reports and take immediate steps to settle their political mercenaries, return them to wherever they brought them from and bring an end to this gruesome attacks on Nigerians.”
“While commiserating with the victims of the Niger attacks, the PDP tasks the security forces to go after the bandits as well as rescue the Kagara school children before any harm comes upon them,” the statement read.
Discussion about this post