“The declaration by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, that the Federal Government is not duty-bound to protect Nigerians from bandits has reinforced apprehensions that the All Progressives Congress and the Muhammadu Buhari Presidency have surrendered our country to terrorists,” according to the Peoples Democratic Party.
“The declaration by the minister is another strong proof that President Buhari is still missing, has absolutely abdicated the duties of his office, and capitulated to bandits,” the party said in a statement released by National Publicity Secretary Kola Ologbondiyan.
“Lai Mohammed’s statement further reveals that the Buhari Presidency has not been committed to combating banditry, but has instead been feeding Nigerians with lies, misinformation, and falsehood, while bandits plunder our country,” the PDP claims.
“It is incredible that, as a result of its shortcomings, the Buhari Presidency is abdicating a duty exclusively vested in it by the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to operate all machinery of national security, including the police, military, paramilitary, and all other armed services, in order to protect lives and property in all parts of our country.
“Perhaps, President Buhari and his minister of information need to be tutored that the Second Schedule (Exclusive Legislative List) clearly vested the control of all apparatus of national security on the Federal Government and not the states.
“Items 2, 28, 38, 45, 57 of the Exclusive List are clear in vesting the operation of the police, the military and other armed services; the control of arms and ammunitions as well as criminal records among other statutory paraphernalia of national security on the Federal Government and not the state.
“The APC and the Buhari Presidency need to be tutored that bandits and kidnappers are terrorists and that in line with the provisions of our constitution, the agencies vested with the statutory responsibility of protecting Nigerians from such outlaws are under the control of the Federal Government.
“It is unthinkable that President Buhari, who promised to lead from the front, is now running away from duty while seeking to heap the burden of his office on the states, who do not have control of security agencies.
“Moreover, the fact that a cabinet minister in the shade of Lai Mohammed is left to address this critical aspect of our national security that is vested on the President, shows that our nation is plagued by Presidential absenteeism and a dysfunctional command structure.
“Such situation never occurred under the PDP administration.
“Now that President Buhari and the APC-led Federal Government can no longer guarantee the safety of lives and property, the only way out is for the National Assembly to immediately amend the constitution and establish state police to guarantee the security of Nigerians as already recommended by the PDP.
“The PDP calls on President Buhari to come out of hiding and address the nation, in his own voice, on the worsening insecurity in our country, occasioned by his misrule.”
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