Masari, PDP disagree on calls for state of energency

…State Of Emergency Cannot Solve Nigeria’s Security Problems – Masari

Katsina State Governor, Aminu Masari has said that the  declaration of a state of emergency on security cannot solve the myriads of challenges facing the country.

Briefing journalists on Thursday after meeting with the Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Professor Ibrahim Gambari at the State House in Abuja, Masari said the military is over stretched.

“It cannot because how can state of emergency solve the problem? You have a situation where the military are in all the states of the federation, then you ask yourself, how many do we have?” he said.

“Are we not overstretching them? So the reality is the responsibility of securing this country is ours, all of us. We have a role to play, and we must play it for the sake of the country and for the sake of our children and grandchildren, not for the sake of the persons that in office.

“I think we better be serious about this issue of security. If you say set up state of emergency, what do you do? We are having the same people, the same security agencies, the same capacities, and the same resources. So what are we talking about?”

While noting that the nation’s security situation is a national concern and goes beyond partisan politics, the governor said that the responsibility of securing the country does not rest solely on a sect of individuals or security agency.

According to him, the emphasis on security would ultimately be of great benefit to every Nigerian and sub-Saharan Africa as a whole.

Governor Masari also reacted to the security situation in his state, adding that his administration is working hard to contain the ugly trend of banditry, kidnapping among several others.

He also said the state government is working closely with security agencies to nip criminal activities in the bud for the overall good of residents of Katsina State.

He added, “Actually the situation is still of high concern, insecurity is real and we’re doing everything to make sure that we control the situation so that it doesn’t reach the level it reached before and we’re hopeful that working together with the security agencies and the responsible people and also the repentant bandits will be able to have our state will back to normalcy.”

Masari’s reaction comes 48 hours after the House of Representatives asked President Buhari to declare a state of emergency on the security sector.

The House had on April 27 held a record three-hour executive (closed-door) session, from where the lawmakers unanimously adopted a series of resolutions.

After the meeting, Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, read out the resolutions, part of which the lower chamber condemned the attacks on security personnel and formations around the country and sympathised with families of victims.

The House’s demand followed the recent taking over of 42 communities in Niger State by Boko Haram.

On Tuesday, Niger State Governor, Abubakar Bello confirmed that Boko Haram insurgents infiltrated Kauri Community of Shiroro Local Government Area and have hoisted their flag.

Bello explained that the plan of the insurgents is to make Kauri its operational base so as to occupy Abuja, which is just two hours’ drive from the states.

Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to declare a state of emergency on security over the growing spate of attacks and kidnappings across the country.

In a communiqué issued at the end of an emergency meeting of the National Executive Committee of the party on Thursday in Abuja, PDP’s spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, backed the call by the House of Representatives for the President to urgently fix the worsening insecurity.

“NEC urged President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately declare a national state of emergency on security,” the statement partly read.

“NEC also urged President Buhari to, without delay, convoke a national conference on Security so as to galvanize ideas and options to tackle insecurity in our country.

“NEC lamented the heightened insecurity pervading all parts of our nation due primarily to the misrule of President Muhammed Buhari and All Progressives Congress as well as their failure to decisively tackle the menace of terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, bloodletting and acts of violence in our country.

“NEC further commended the efforts of governors, senators, House of Representatives members and other officials elected on the platform of the PDP in forcefully seeking solutions to the spate of insecurity in our country.”

Nigeria has been experiencing a series of security threats ranging from terrorism, banditry, militancy, cultism among others in several parts of the country.

The country has been battling terrorism for more than a decade which has killed 36,000 people and displaced hundreds of thousands in the northeast.

The Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) split from the jihadist group Boko Haram in 2016 and has since become a dominant threat in Nigeria, attacking troops and bases while killing and kidnapping passengers at bogus checkpoints.

On March 1, jihadist fighters burnt down a United Nations humanitarian compound in the town of Dikwa after dislodging troops, killing six civilians.

Nigeria’s jihadist violence has spread to neighbouring Chad, Cameroon and Niger, prompting a regional military coalition to fight the insurgents.