. . . Says video of ISWAP terrorists torturing Abuja-Kaduna train victims a national embarrassment
As Nigerians continue to react to the new video showing suspected members of the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) torturing the remaining victims of the Abuja-Kaduna train attack, the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) chieftain in Niger state, Mr. Jonathan Vatsa, has lambasted President Mohammadu Buhari, saying that the government has failed Nigerians in all ramifications.
“No matter the so-called achievements, any government that failed to protect the lives and properties of the citizens has failed the people and should honorably apologize to the people because African leaders don’t resign from office”.
The former Commissioner for information, culture and tourism in the state who was reacting to the viral video of the beating of the train attack victims by the Terrorists, in a statement in Minna titled “Do we still a government in the country”, described the video as a “huge embarrassment not only to this government but the entire Nigerians home and in diaspora”.
“There is no country in the world where a government will watch and deliberately refused to protect the lives of It citizens like the current situation in Nigeria. It is unfortunate that this government that the Nigerian masses brought into power through their votes will create an impression in the minds of Nigerian that the Nigerian Army and other security agencies have no power to secure the release of this train victims and other kidnapped victims across the country.
“I think this a deliberate plan to enrich a particular ethnic tribe through proceeds of crime and criminality. This government has never made any attempts to rescue any kidnapped victim in this country, instead the families of victims struggled to pay hundreds of million to secure the release of their loved ones”, he alleged.
The former APC publicity secretary in the state particularly accused the President for always issuing political directives to security agencies through their heads without any action, stressing that “these directives to Security heads always ended up in ASO Rock. The President has issued countless directives to security agencies to rescue these train victims but no action has been taken.
“This government is playing politics with the lives of Nigerians, especially the poor masses who brought this government to power. The poor Nigerians who bought recharge cards in other to purchase nomination form for Buhari in 2014 turned out to be the worst victims of this government.
“How can Nigerians be going through this type of trauma and the government is not saying anything. Do we still have a government in this country, i think the government is only existing in name”, he lamented.
According to Vatsa, This government cannot tell Nigerians that it does not know where these people are, pointing out that “they are in Nigeria Territory. The government is refusing to go after them, rather Nigerians should go and pay ransom in millions to secure the release of their loved ones, an indirect way of empowering an ethnic tribe economically”.
He insisted that “with this train victims still in captivity, this government has no moral justification to ask for Nigerians votes in 2023. It is not possible because what will you tell Nigerians when you go to campaign, when go to ask for their votes”, he queried
Vatsa in the statement also appealed to the government of Nigeria, Kano and Benue states to rally round the families of Major-General Idris Garba whose entire family is still with the terrorists, adding that “General Garba who is from Niger, was a military administrator of Kano and Benue states”. (Sunday vanguard)