APC Insists Military Has Dismantled Insurgents, Bandits Despite Daily Reign of Terror

•FG: Buhari has kept Nigeria united

•Lawmaker killed in Kaduna, several others abducted

•Ruling party has Set Nigeria 20 yrs backward, says Wike

Olawale Ajimotokan, Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja, John Shiklam in Kaduna, Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt and Francis Sardauna in Katsina

The All Progressives Congress (APC), has insisted that in spite of the daily reign of terror in the country, the military has dismantled insurgents in the North-east and bandits in the North-west and subsequently recorded successes in many other areas.

National Secretary of the APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Senator John Akpanudoedehe, said this yestyerday after he was decorated with the 2022 Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration emblem by officials of Nigeria’s Ministry of Defence.

At the same time, the federal government has declared that regardless of the atmosphere of insecurity in many parts of the country, President Muhammadu Buhari, deserved encomiums for keeping the country together.

This is as a member of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, Rilwanu Gadagau and one other person, were Monday killed by bandits along the along the Kaduna-Zaria highway. The hoodlums also abducted several travellers during the attack, which occurred in the night.

But the Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Nyesom Wike, has accused the APC-led federal government of setting the nation some 20 years backwards in its six and a half years of ascending power.

In the same vein, a former National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Umar Ibrahim Tsauri, has said the ruling APC was not a political party but an association of people with zero political ideology.

However, Akpanudoedehe said the country’s military deserved commendation and support of Nigerians, noting that the military had demonstrated professionalism and gallantry in its operations, particularly, anti-banditry and counter-insurgency.

“They have also demonstrated loyalty to the Nigerian flag and commitment to the Nigerian public. It is our duty to appreciate what they have done. The military have been there for us in the insurgencies and the banditry going on in the North East and other areas in the country.

“So far so good, the Armed Forces are giving the terrorists a good fight and have dismantled them, especially, as we have recorded successes in many areas.

“Even during the Niger Delta agitation and in the South East, the military have been there for us. They have always shown loyalty to Nigerians, so as a party, we stand with them and the widows the fallen heroes left behind,” he stated.

He, therefore, urged Nigerians to always support the military in any way possible, adding that they should be commended for their zeal and commitment despite the daunting challenges.

Also, speaking yesterday in the light of the heightened in security situation in the country, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said security had remained the core of the Buhari Administration since he assumed office in 2015.

He noted that the polity has recently been awash with heightened commentary on the security situation in the country, but said the commentary was being triggered by genuine concerns in some circles, and crass politicking or sheer absurdity in others.

“This is not a surprise, considering the fact that the fight against insecurity is one of the three priority areas of the APC-led federal government. Yes, the security situation has continued to pose a great challenge, but amidst the cacophony of voices – some genuinely concerned about the situation and others ready to exploit it for selfish ends – it is easy to forget, where we are coming from,” he said.

Mohammed averred that what could have happened to the country could only be imagined had the President not taken the bold initiative on the security situation, even though heconceded that although banditry and kidnapping had added to the state of insecurity, the President has also continued to provide quality leadership in order to ensure that the security agencies decisively tackled the cankerworm of insecurity of any hue.

He said with the free reign of insurgents, who controlled a vast swath of land, the size of Belgium, and carried out unrettarded attacks in almost a dozen states, including the Federal Capital Territory, which was bombed at least five times, they could have easily achieved their aim of declaring an Islamic State in Nigeria, if President Buhari had not acted decisively.

“After all, in 2014, Boko Haram declared a Caliphate in Gwoza after capturing Bama and Gamboru as well as other towns and villages in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa. They installed their own Emirs, collected taxes and flew their flag before the military dislodged them.

“No administration in Nigeria’s recent history has provided the security agencies with thehardware needed to tackle insecurity as that of President Buhari, in addition to raising the morale of our security men and women.

“Only last week, Mr. President commissioned an armada of naval boats and ships in the latest effort to enhance our nation’s maritime security. The army, the air force and the police, among others, have also been receiving modern hardware to strengthen their arsenal,” he said.

He noted the administration has not concentrated on kinetic measures alone but has firmed up non-kinetic effortts including the establishment of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development to coordinate all humanitarian affairs in the country to tackle poverty and shrink the pool of those being targeted for recruitment by insurgents and bandits.

“With the entire Sahelian region experiencing a devastating surge in terrorist attacks, more so in the wake of the Libyan crisis, it has become even more imperative for Nigeria to step up regional cooperation to more effectively tackle insecurity, and that is what Mr. President has been doing.

“Gentlemen, President Buhari has done so much, under very difficult economic and social conditions, to tackle insecurity in our country. Not only has he done so much, President Buhari continues to do much more to keep Nigerians safe. To say he has nothing more to offer is untrue, fallacious and smacks of dirty politicking.

“Even as we continue to battle insecurity, it will be uncharitable on our part to suggest they are not doing enough, or not to appreciate their sacrifices. The recent massive surrendering of Boko Haram terrorists

and the huge pressure on bandits represent a testament to the effectiveness of the efforts of our security agencies. We should encourage them to do more, instead of pillorying them,” he said.

Despite these, bandits still killed a member of the Kaduna Assembly, Gadagau, and one other person along the Kaduna-Zaria highway.

Corpses of the lawmaker and the other victim, whose identity was not immediately known, were recovered in the bush by security personnel and taken to the morgue.

Until the unfortunate incident, Gadagau, who represented Giwa West Constituency, was the chairman, House Committee on Local Government and Rural Development.

Clerk of the Kaduna Assembly, Bello Zubairu, confirmed the incident to journalists yesterday.

It was learnt that many travellers along the highway were abducted by the bandits.

Speaker of the Assembly, Yusuf Zailani, has however lamented the killing of the lawmakerand described it as “tragic and painful.”

In a statement by his Special Assistant, Media and Publicity, Ibrahim Danfulan, the speaker said the remains of the lawmaker were discovered in a morgue, among those killed by bandits on Monday night along Kaduna-Zaria Highway.

“He died during bandits attack along Zaria highway. This is tragic and painful. We are in deep grief over this sad incident. Our prayers at this time goes to his immediate family. Honourable Gadagau was a young and dynamic lawmaker, who had a passion for his constituency, state, and Nigeria. We will miss his vibrant contributions,” the statement said.

While extending condolences to the family of other victims, the speaker said, “Our hearts also go out to those kidnapped in same operation, believing that they would be rescued by security operatives as soon as possible,” he said.

But Wike, who has accused the APC government of setting Nigeria 20 years backwards in six and a half years, urged Nigerians to be more careful in their choice of who they entrust with the responsibility of governing Nigeria in the 2023 general election.

Governor Wike stated this at the inauguration of the Rivers State Government Safe Home yesterday, in Borikiri, Port Harcourt.

The governor pointed out that it was only the states controlled by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that were preoccupied with the provision of dividends of democracy.

“The other people (APC) are only fighting themselves about direct primaries and indirect primaries. We (PDP) are busy about delivering dividends of democracy. You can see, the difference is clear.

“Your Excellency, I’m happy that you’re the one who have come, because you’ve invited me severally to Akwa Ibom State to commission projects. I’m happy and I want to say to everybody that PDP governors are doing very, very well.

“So, we must be careful of dealing with those who are not serious. A party that is not serious, that has set our country 20 years back. We must be very very careful.”

He explained that it was wrong for most governments to forget to include the well-being of the most vulnerable in the society in their programmes, saying such reluctance stemmedfrom the fact that they did not consider it in their place to provide services and programmes for the protection of the less privileged.

His words: “We are only interested in constructing roads. We are only interested in constructing schools, hospitals and the rest of it. But one important aspect that government forgets is the less privileged, the vulnerable. We do not think that we owe them that duty to also protect them. It is key that every government should take this as a special project.”

Performing the inauguration, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel said Wike hadblended ideas, creativity with available financial resources to achieve his landmark infrastructure development, while also catering to the needs of the vulnerable in the State.

He agreed with Wike that PDP government often get busy with infrastructure development, capital projects, thinking about the economic prosperity of their various states, and forget the downtrodden and those who need help much more.

In another development, Tsauri, who claimed the APC had no political ideology, further described the party as “a contraption” with neither programme nor ideological position, and predicted the collapse of the party during its February 2022 planned national convention.

Tsauri spoke at a welcome-home reception organised by the Katsina State chapter of the PDP in honour of his “meritorious service” held at the party’s secretariat in Katsina.

“APC is not a political party but an association of people with no political ideology. In fact, the party is a contraption with neither programme nor ideological position.

“The party retrieved power from us (PDP) in 2015 but they don’t know how to go about it. They said PDP will end before the convention but we have successfully conducted our convention. But I want to assure you people that APC will collapse on the day of its convention,” he said.

He explained that a ruling party with visionary leaders and political ideology would adopt revolving measures to end the prevailing security challenges, poverty, economic hardship and unemployment afflicting the citizenry.

He, however, said the ability of the PDP to hold a violence-free convention had shown that the party was more formidable and ready to take charge of the presidency in 2023.