The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) laments the Tuesday night’s massacre of no fewer than 30 compatriots in simultaneous bandit attacks on four villages in two local government areas of Zamfara state.
But an additional number, put conservatively at 50 were mauled down 24 hours later when armed bandits struck again in not less than five communities in Zamfara State
The bandits hit communities in Magami Ward of Gusau Local Government Area and Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State on Wednesday.
Sadly most of those killed were local guards of called Yansakai watching over Kunkelai, Yarzaiga, Yar doka Gobirawa, Kangon farimana, Ruwan dawa, Yargada, Bayan Banki, and Biyabiki in Gusau and Maru Local Government Areas of the State.
The Yansakai members who made to protect their people were overrun and many killed.
Troops were slow in responding because information did not get to them on time, according to the Police which confirmed the tragedy.
But for the PDP, it was further troubled by the killing of a staff and abduction of 23 students and staff of Greenfield University in Kaduna state, the same Tuesday night.
It noted that it is saddening that bandits and terrorist elements are now holding our nation to ransom due to the manifest lack of commitment by the present administration to decisively confront the situation and secure our country.
“Today, under President Muhammadu Buhari, our nation has become an expansive killing field where bandits, terrorist, kidnappers and invaders are having a field day despoiling our communities and killing our compatriots.
“This is completely unacceptable!
“Our party recalls that we had advised President Buhari to conduct a holistic rejigging of our national security architecture but Mr. President only replaced the faces of the service chiefs, without any attention to serious operational issues, as if the replacement of commanders were the exclusive magic wand for the security challenges facing our nation.
“In the same vein, our party had demanded for the decentralization of the police structure in a manner that will allow for effective state and community policing in the country.
“Rather than implement such, the Buhari presidency as well as the APC are toying with constabulary system of policing even when it is clear that such cannot be a direct response to the level of banditry and insecurity pervading our nation today.
“The fact is that the situation in our nation today has become too critical and demanding a surgical approach, including amendment to our constitution and other statutes that will allow for an effective community police system.
“It is clear to all, that no matter the number of the Inspector Generals that are replaced, the policing structure of our nation will remain ineffective if left under the prevailing statutory framework.
“For the umpteenth time, the PDP charges President Buhari to wake up from slumber, stop his unnecessary rhetoric, blame games and lame marching orders and take bold steps to rejig our national security architecture to guarantee the protection of lives and property in our country.
‘Our party holds that President Buhari, as the commander-in-chief, who promised to lead from the front, cannot be sleeping on duty or having penchant for overseas trips when our nation is on the edge,” the PDP added, even as the Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Magashi has also lamented the state of insecurity in the country, saying that the nation is bleeding.
Major-General Magashi spoke on Thursday at the continuation of the special weekly ministerial briefing in Abuja.
His words, “This is the only way we can obtain the objectives of protecting our country from internal and external threats but also provide a conducive environment in which aspiration of human security, national progress and development will be realised.
“Make no mistake that our nation is bleeding now.
“It is bleeding because self-interests, underlined decisions by quite a number of our elites have made. They are quick to attribute blames to groups other than theirs.
“The whole idea is to exploit the social division for their political gains.”
He confirmed the recent arrest of Boko haram sponsors in Kano state.
The Minister disagreed with the position canvassed mainly by Kaduna Governor, Nasir el Rufai, that bandits should be killed, noting that every person is innocent according to the provision of the law until found guilty.
But according to him any bandit found in the forests with an Ak-47 rifle will be immediately shot as directed by
President Muhammadu Buhari.