Kidnapping, banditry not a federal offence — FG replies PDP

…PDP remains committed to stability of Nigeria, Ologbodiyan

By Uthman Salami

The Minister of information and culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has declared that it is never the responsibility of the Federal Government to prosecute bandits and kidnappers, stating that only the state governments have the power to do so.

The Minister stated this while reacting to the PDP world conference held in Abuja on Monday.

The chairman of PDP, Mr. Uche Secondus stated that the Conference became pertinent to proffer lasting solutions to the the insecurity that has engulved the country.

Lai Muhammed while reacting berated Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), that they should have known better since their party ruled the country for 16 years

According to him, “This is apparently aimed at the Federal Government. It is shocking that party that ruled this nation for all of 16 years does not know that kidnapping and banditry are not federal offences.”

He, however, implored “the PDP should therefore call out the states, including those being controlled by it, to ensure a rigorous prosecution of arrested kidnappers and bandits.”

The minister who insisted that “as far as terrorism, a federal offence, is concerned, this Federal Government has successfully prosecuted thousands of Boko Haram members in Kainji, as part of a continuing exercise. We are now seeking the cooperation of the judiciary to continue with the trial of arrested terrorists.”

The minister further labeled the main opposition party in the country of playing “cheap politics while playing the ostrich.”

He said even though the party said they were dropping the emblem of politics for national interest and security, its “wild accusations against the President and his government” spoke volume.

He added that PDP’s suggestions and recommendations at the conference were “merely playing politics with serious national issues, especially security.”

The minister also debunked the assumption that APC led government was running “exclusive government.”

He said if the party had been up to date with events in the country, it should have known that similar recommendations and suggestions had been made at “the Federal Government’s Town Hall Meeting on National Security, which was held in Kaduna on April 8th 2021.”

He added that “the PDP accused this Federal Government of not engaging and of running a government of exclusion, forgetting, conveniently, that this Federal Government has consistently engaged Nigerians on topical national issues, including security, the fight against corruption, terrorism, infrastructure and farmer-herder conflict.”

He said, “The Town Hall Meeting series, which we launched in 2016, has so far been held 18 times across Nigeria. It’s always a no-holds-barred opportunity for the government to engage with critical stakeholders, briefing them on government policies and programmes and getting their feedbacks, thus ensuring inclusion and deepening of democracy.”

He declared that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration has gone a step further by moving the conference “to the National Economic Council, Chaired by His Excellency the Vice President, and which also includes all the state governors. As a prelude to adopting the recommendations, the NEC has directed all state governors to organize state-wide consultation on them, and then revert to the Council in its next meeting.”

He insisted that rather than jettison partisan politics, the opposition party has continued to play politics with national security challenges.

The minister said the PDP “disparaged Mr. President and the Federal Government, engaged in name calling and finger-pointing, gloated about the security challenges facing the nation, lied about how they resolved security challenges under their watch and then went ahead to say, at their hysterical press conference, that they have not come to play politics. Who is fooling who here.”

Meanwhile, Lai Mohammed has urged “all Nigerians to support the efforts of the Federal Government to tackle the challenges.”

And also “advise those bent on playing cheap politics with the challenges to have a rethink.”

However while responding to the Minister, PDP said  it will remain undeterred, alongside other patriotic Nigerians, in its commitment towards the sustenance and stability of Nigeria democracy.

The party in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, said it was also committed to the unity and corporate existence of Nigeria.

Ologbondiyan stated this while reacting to the allegation that some Nigerians were plotting a forceful and undemocratic change of leadership.

He described the allegation as an attempt to heighten political tension ahead of the 2023.

In a separate statement, Ologbondiyan decried what it called an attempt to frustrate the well-intentioned strategies from the PDP to check the tide of terrorism and banditry in the country.

“Our party rejects the move to frustrate the establishment of a National Borders Protection Force as suggested by the PDP to check further infiltration by terrorist elements and inflow of illegal arms into our country,” he said.

He said that establishment of a pro-active and operational Borders Protection Force that would ensure water tight security at our borders should be preferred to the setting up of a bureaucratic National Center for Control of Small Arms.

“Our party asserts that by its outlook and operation, such centre cannot check the infiltration of terrorist as well as the flow of firearms into our country,” he said.

Ologbondiyan urged President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately establish the Borders Protection Force which would draw personnel and equipment from the military and other armed services.

This, according to him, would help to man Nigeria borders and check activities by terrorists and their backers.