PDP to el-Rufai: Importing mercenaries to tackle banditry will worsen insecurity

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says the use of foreign mercenaries to tackle banditry will worsen the country’s security challenges.

Following the Abuja-Kaduna train attack, Nasir el-Rufai, Kaduna state governor, had said the north-west may resort to importing mercenaries to protect citizens if the military fails to wipe out bandits.

Reacting, the PDP accused el-Rufai of being a key player in the failure of leadership in Nigeria.

PDP alleged that APC governors “publicly romanced and empowered terrorists by paying them billions of naira of public funds in various hurried, uncoordinated and hazy negotiations”.

“The alarming insecurity situation in Nigeria that has led to the killing and maiming of tens of thousands of our compatriots since the APC took office in 2015 is the result of the actions and comments by APC leaders and government officials who encouraged acts of terrorism in the name of politics,” the party said in a statement signed by Debo Ologunagba, its publicity secretary.

“Nigerians can still recall how in July 2021, Governor el-Rufai, when asked why the Federal Government was lethargic in going after bandits (terrorists) stated that the bandits are collections of independent criminals for whom banditry is a business.

“Nigerians can also recall how ahead of the 2019 general elections, Governor el-Rufai threatened that ‘those that are calling for anyone to come and intervene in Nigeria, we are waiting for the persons that will come and intervene, they will go back in body bags’.

“Nigerians have not forgotten how in November 2020 the Muhammadu Buhari Presidency through its spokesperson, Shehu Garba, rationalized the beheading of 43 rice farmers in Borno State by terrorists and blamed the farmers for not obtaining clearance before going to their farms.

“The PDP however wants Governor el-Rufai to know that his suggestion or threats to import foreign mercenaries is counter-productive and capable of compounding the already dire security situation in our country.”

The party added that “such comments and actions by el-Rufai, the Buhari administration and other APC leaders have the propensity to embolden terrorists to unleash violence on innocent people, the result of which are now apparent and living with us”.

The PDP said it believes in the “competence and capability” of the armed forces to defend the country, but added that they are being hindered by the “incompetence and failure” of the APC administration.