Insecurity: South-West APC Seeks Stakeholders’ Collaboration, Warns Saboteurs

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in the South-West geopolitical zone has urged all stakeholders to urgently develop plans and take actions to address the country’s security situation.

The party also blamed the development on those it called enemies who did not wish the nation well.

In a statement issued and made available to LEADERSHIP on Friday in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, APC’s South-West Zonal Publicity Secretary, Mr Ayobami Afolabi, noted that tension in Nigeria heightened following the reported incident of simultaneous abduction of schoolgirls in Kebbi and Niger states.

He also highlighted the killing of some worshippers inside the Christ Apostolic Church, Eruku in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, where bandits whisked away 38 worshippers.

Our correspondent recalls that all the abducted persons have been rescued and are being taken care of by the government.

Afolabi lauded the federal government and the governments of the affected states for their swift response and coordinated efforts, which yielded the timely rescue of all the victims from their abductors.

“In recent times, there has been an increase in cases of violent attacks against some innocent citizens, especially in the northern part of the country, and the patterns of these reported incidents were similar.

“This validated the opinion of many pundits who had established the fact that cases of terrorism, banditry and related crimes in Nigeria were being sponsored from within and outside for political and economic interests.

“To this end, every patriotic citizen must rise up to the challenge in their private and official capacity. There is no economic or political status desired by any individual or groups that is worth the lives of innocent people who fall victim to violent attacks, as the situation calls for collaborative efforts and decisive actions from those in power and the rest of the citizenry,” he said.

The Zonal APC also called on state governors to encourage and empower community-based security outfits to complement the efforts of federal security agencies, while also urging residents to assist with intelligence gathering.

“Undoubtedly, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is poised to deliver his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda to benefit all parts of the country as well as every citizen and resident of Nigeria, we should not play into the hands of those who do not wish our country well.

“With the latest declaration of state of emergency on security and the directive on mass recruitment into the Army and Police Force by the president, sponsors of insecurity and their agents should have a rethink as all saboteurs would have themselves to blame,” Afolabi added.