Former commissioner for Information Culture and Tourism and chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger State, Jonathan Vatsa, has raised the alarm that the escalation of bandits activities at the nation’s capital, Abuja, was a hand work of politicians who want to make the government unpopular before 2027.
Vatsa, specifically told newsmen, in an interview in Minna, Wednesday, said those behind the sudden rise in banditry activities in Abuja and its surrounding satellites towns are doing it to set Nigerians against the government just to discredit it.
The former APC publicity secretary in the state pointed out that the strategies of causing a state of insecurity was adopted against the former president Goodluck Jonathan government ahead of the 2015 general election where bombs were being released all over Nigeria, including Abuja and this made Nigeria to lose interest in that government.
He said immediately after the 2015 general election peace returned to Abuja and the sound of bombs stopped because the aim was achieved.
Vatsa said this time around, they decided to unleashed bandits on the President Bola Tinubu government, adding that the entire seat of power has been taken over by bandits and other criminals elements and called on President Tinubu not to fold his hands and allow them succeed.
He said: “This is the same strategies that those behind the current rise in banditry activities in Abuja want to adopt. They want to make the country ungovernable for the present administration.
“The current security situation especially in Abuja is meant to invoke the anger of Nigerians against this government and to make President Tinubu look incompetent to handle the affairs of the country.
“No Nigerian that his family or relation is kidnapped or killed by these criminals will want to support or see anything good about a government that is supposed to protect lives and properties as its primary responsibility.”
Vatsa said to confirm that some powerful politicians are behind the current security situation in Abuja is the fact that the bandits have scaled up their ransom money from between N3 million and N5 million, they usually demanded, to N50 million and above, stressing that “where will an ordinary Nigerian get that money from in this current bitting economic hardship.”
He, therefore, urged President Tinubu to immediately rise to the occasion and act fast before, those he described as ‘power hungry politicians’, make the country ungovernable for him through creating a state of insecurity around Abuja.
“I am very sure President Tinubu should know by now that some politicians are out to make his government unpopular before Nigerians and they can achieve their aim if this security situation is not addressed,” he said.
He said the country has what it takes to tackle any form of security challenge in any part of the country, saying what is needed is strong political will and putting the right people at the right place.
He described the recent killing of Abuja kidnapped victims as very unfortunate, pointing out that “we cannot afford to continue to lose the lives of young and promising Nigerians in the hands of criminals who have no future.”
Peoplesmind
