Hold underperforming security heads accountable, APC chairmen tell Tinubu

The Forum of the All Progressives Congress Chairmen has asked President Bola Tinubu to “wield the big stick” on heads of security agencies slacking in their responsibilities.

It premised Friday’s request on the increasing cases of kidnapping nationwide.

The forum’s Secretary, Alphonsus Eba, stated this after meeting with Tinubu at the State House, Abuja, on Friday. 

“Where a District Police Officer or a Commissioner of Police or whoever that is in control of whatever security architect at whatever level is found wanting, Mr. President should wield the big stick,” Eba said 

Eba also serves as Chairman of Cross Rivers state chapter of the APC.

The United Nations had confirmed that over 200 persons were abducted from the Internally Displaced Persons camp in Ngala Local Government Area of Borno State.

In a statement released on March 6, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Fall, said the abductees, including women, boys and girls, were captured while fetching firewood.

He added that the terrorists released some older women and children below 10 years.

Barely 24 hours later, on March 7, terrorists kidnapped over 280 pupils and teachers of Government Secondary School and LEA primary school at Kuriga, Kaduna State.

The terrorists reportedly invaded the Kuriga area of the Chikun Local Government Area of the state, shooting at their victims before whisking away the pupils and teachers from both schools.

Two days after the Kuriga attack, over 15 children were taken hostage when gunmen invaded the Gidan Bakuso village in Sokoto State.

At about 1pm on Saturday, the terrorists seized the children from their hostel before security forces could arrive at the scene. They also kidnapped one woman from the village.

Eba, who was fielding questions on the spate of kidnappings, said, “On the kidnap of pupils in Kaduna State, yes, it forms one of the issues about the general insecurity in the country that we raised as a matter of concern with Mr. President. We said we are more concerned because from our vintage position, it is very clear there are a lot of distractions going on in this country.

“There are activities of criminals that are being perpetrated to put the government and our party in a bad light. We have commended Mr. President for the support, moral and financial, that he has given to security agencies.

“But we came with one humble piece of advice that we gave to Mr. President today as Forum chairman to say that nobody expects Mr. President as Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to carry arms and go to the battlefield.

“That is why he has his lieutenants, as security agencies in various areas and what we have told Mr. President today, by way of advice, that it is time for people to be held accountable for the actions.”

Asked about the skirmishes in the Edo State chapter of the APC, Eba replied, “Edo State issue came up yesterday (Thursday) at our meeting. We discussed it extensively. We had reached some conclusions, but it was not one of the issues we discussed with Mr. President today because there are still internal party affairs that we are raising up from here now to continue a meeting with the National Chairman of our party and the NWC.

“Issues around Edo that you are aware that is already in the public glare are just but a storm in a teacup and will be resolved at that level of the party leadership. So we did not discuss that with Mr. President.”

33 out of 37 the APC state chairmen were part of what they described as a solidary visit to the President.