After grappling for the past seven years to fulfill one of its campaign promises, which is tackling insecurity head on, the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration is banking on President Muhammadu Buhari’s successor to continue with the herculean task in 2023.
Accordingly, the governing party is planning to implicitly ask for more time to fulfill its campaign promise by reintroducing the issue of security in its campaign for the 2023 general election.
National vice chairman of the party (North West), Mallam Salihu Lukman, who disclosed this yesterday, said the issue of security will be the front banner in its agenda for the 2023 general election and beyond.
Lukman stated this when he led zonal officials in the North West geopolitical zone to meet with the party leader in Sokoto State, Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, and other party stakeholders in the state.
The meeting, according to a statement he personally signed, is in continuation of the party’s fact-finding tour on how to sustain the tempo in areas the party “is doing excellently well.”
The idea, he noted, is to also “improve on areas that the party has built something to stand upon and re-strategise for few gray areas to be addressed, adding that the APC “has listened to the yearnings and aspirations of the people of Sokoto State through the stakeholders who represent the interests of their people.”
Lukman listed the current security challenges “bedeviling the zone and the entirety of North, particularly Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna and Kebbi States, among other states of the country,” as part of the matters discussed at the meeting.
He said as an agent of the people as well as that of the party, he would join the party’s elders such as Senator Wamakko to take the matter to the appropriate authority with all sense of commitments, adding that “security issue will be the front banner of the party’s agenda for 2023 and beyond.”
On his part, the APC leader in Sokoto State, Senator Wamakko expressed delight over the manner in which the party is operating at the zonal level, even as he pledged support for the zonal structure of the party in whatever capacity it needs him.
In 2015 President Buhari and the APC had premised their campaigns on three key areas affecting the country – corruption, insecurity and revamping the economy.
Most Nigerians who were already overwhelmed by these major challenges, especially the spate of insecurity, the rising rate of unemployment and the increasing corruption, had voted the APC massively, believing that Buhari would fulfill all the campaign promises.
In 2019, Buhari and the APC replicated these promises during the re-election campaign and asked for more understanding from Nigerians.
Even though the three campaign promises under the change agenda were yet to be fulfilled, Nigerians still re-elected Buhari for a second term of four years in 2019.
Bandits Attack PMB’s Convoy Ahead Of Visit To Katsina
Meanwhile, the spate of insecurity characterized by gory attacks by terror groups took a more daring dimension yesterday, as dare-devil bandits ambushed and shot sporadically at advanced team of President Muhammadu Buhari who travelling with his convoy to Katsina ahead of the president’s visit to his home state for the Sallah celebrations.
The bandits, according to a statement by presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, opened fire on the convoy from ambush positions but were repelled by the military, police and DSS personnel accompanying the convoy.
In the statement released last night, the presidency described as “sad and unwelcome, the shooting incident near Dutsinma, Katsina State, at the convoy of cars carrying the Advance Team of security guards, protocol and media officers ahead of the President, Muhammadu Buhari’s trip to Daura for Sallah.
“Two persons in the convoy are receiving treatment for the minor injuries they suffered. All the other personnel, staff and vehicles made it safely to Daura,” Shehu added.
…Kill 5, Abduct Scores In Kaduna Villages
Meanwhile, bandits on Monday night killed five persons and abducted no fewer than 20 persons in Tundun Ibru, Doka, chibiya and Ungwan madaki during attacks on the communities in Kajuru local government area of Kaduna State.
The pastor of ECWA Church, Tudun Ibru, Rev Adamu Buba, was among those kidnapped, but while villagers were on the heels of the kidnappers, they found his lifeless body yesterday morning.
In another attack in Chibiya and unguwan madaki in Maro ward, one person was killed and unspecified persons kidnapped, while 13 persons were kidnapped at Doka Avog.
Confirming the attack, chairman of the Christian Associated of Nigeria (CAN), Kaduna State chapter, Rev John Joseph Hayab, said the persistent attack of churches has become more worrisome because even when they are killed, the killers don’t want the killed buried.
According to Rev Hayab, the terrorists who killed the locals and the pastor came shooting sporadically when the pastor was being buried, causing people to again run for their lives.
“Now, you are not safe at home, in school, in church and even at work places. For how long will this killing of people continue? The situation is worrisome,” he said.
When contacted, the Kaduna State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Muhammed Jalige, did not pick his calls, even as there was no official statement from the government as at the time of filing the report.
Gunmen Kill 2 Policemen, Abduct Chinese In Kwara, Katsina
Meanwhile, the Kwara State Police Command yesterday confirmed the killing of one of its personnel and the abduction of a Chinese expatriate in Shao, Moro local government area of the state by unknown gunmen.
Spokesman of the police command, Okasanmi Ajayi, said the incident happened on Sunday.
LEADERSHIP gathered that the gunmen struck at a quarry site in Shao town, killing one mobile police officer and abducting a Chinese expatriate in the process.
A source who pleaded anonymity said that the gunmen burnt the car they used for the operation and vanished into thin air.
Okasanmi said, “One police inspector was killed while a Chinese was abducted in Shao three days ago (Sunday).
“The command is working round the clock to get the victim rescued and perpetrators apprehended.
Meanwhile, the state commissioner of police, Tuesday Assayomo, has set up a special investigation team to investigate the matter.
Similarly, terrorists yesterday killed the Police Area Commander and one gallant officer at the Zakka Forest in Safana Local Government Area of Katsina State.
Spokesman of the Katsina State police command, Gambo Isah, confirmed the killing in a statement he issued yesterday.
He said, “At about 1130hrs, a distress call was received that terrorists numbering over three hundred (300), on motorcycles, shooting sporadically with AK 47 rifles and General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG), ambushed ACP Aminu Umar, Area Commander, Dutsinma and team, while on clearance operation of recalcitrant bandits/terrorists, in Zakka forest, Safana LGA of Katsina state.
“Consequently, the Area Commander and one other gallantly lost their lives during a cross-exchange of gunfire.”
He added that the commissioner of Police, CP Idrisu Dabban Dauda, on behalf of the officers and men of the Command, expressed his deep sympathy to the family of the deceased and prayed Almighty Allah to repose their souls in Jannatul Firdausi.
He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to the ongoing onslaught against terrorists in the state until they are completely routed out.
