Insecurity: Stop attacking Kwara gov’t while begging party leaders in Abuja – APC Elders reply Saraki

By Muyideen Aliyu, Ilorin

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Elders Caucus in Kwara Central has sharply criticized former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, over his recent comments regarding the security challenges facing the state.

The dispute follows a recent bandit attack on the Oke-Ode community last Sunday, which tragically resulted in the deaths of some forestry guards and civilians.

The criticism was made public in a statement by the Caucus Public Relations Officer, Mallam Suleiman Sheu AbdulSalam (Cement), who called Saraki’s comment on the security situations unfortunate and uncalled for.

The Caucus accused Saraki of playing politics with a serious issue affecting innocent citizens and argued that his “warped comments” showed he had fallen short of being an elder statesman and patriot.

The APC Caucus expressed surprise at what they termed Saraki’s chameleonic traits, noting he has reportedly been begging and romancing APC leaders in Abuja for survival, yet is simultaneously attacking the APC administration in Kwara.

The Caucus noted that Saraki’s actions were clear indications of a desperate politician, warning that “no amount of attack or blackmail from Saraki will return Kwara to the dynasty’s black-era.”

“Dr. Bukola Saraki is playing politics with serious challenges faces by the entire Nigeria since the tenure of former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Umar Yar’Adua, which is not peculiar to the State alone,” the Caucus stated.

In response to the attack, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq released a statement calling for an increased security presence to bolster the situation.

The military authorities subsequently directed the General Officer Commanding (GOC), Nigeria Army, Ibadan, to relocate to Kwara to reinforce security efforts and actively pursue the criminals in their hideouts.

The APC group lauded Governor AbdulRazaq’s decisive efforts toward securing every part of the state, listing several strides taken to ward off criminals. These include the recruitment of approximately 3,000 forest guards, active support for local vigilantes, and their enrollment into the state health insurance scheme.

AbdulSalam confirmed that the state government is reinforcing its collaborative efforts with the Office of the National Security Adviser and other security agencies to combat these undesirable elements.