The Forum of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairmen has asked President Bola Tinubu to “wield the big stick” on the heads of security agencies found wanting in their responsibilities.
The Secretary of the Forum of APC Chairmen, Alphonsus Eba, said this after the meeting with President 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 the 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 the Ngala Local Government Area of Borno State.
In a statement released on March 6, the UN resident and humanitarian coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Fall, had said the abductees, including women, boys, and girls, were captured while fetching firewood.
He had added that the terrorists released some older women and children below 10 .
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, on Thursday.
The terrorists reportedly invaded the Kuriga area of the Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State on Thursday and whisked 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.
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 to 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 their 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.”