A spokesman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged security and intelligence agencies to investigate report linking a North West governor to the rising cases of banditry, abductions and other violent crimes in the zone.
APC Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, in his statement on Thursday, did not name the North-West governor allegedly indicted by the intelligence report but said the increased spate of banditry in the North- West was politically-motivated.
“Our security agencies have intelligence reports linking one of the North-West governors of colluding and sponsoring the violent and criminal activities of bandits in the zone.
“I won’t give details because of the sensitivity and nature of the issue. However, relevant security agencies must as a matter of urgency investigate the report and determine its veracity. Human life is not what we should play political chess games with.
“We must shun enemies of the country including the PDP who seek political gains from issues of insecurity. Our security agencies must also be alert to plots to further destabilise the North-West region and frustrate the quick and safe release of students,” Nabena said.
However, Sokoto State Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, one of the two Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors in the North West, has challenged Nabena to “name the erring governor or be invited bt the security.”
Dateline Nigeria reports that Zamfara State Governor Bello Matawalle is the other PDP governor in the North West. The remaining five are members of the APC.
Tambuwal said “Beyond politics, no Governor anywhere in the country assumed office without swearing to an oath, as prescribed by the Constitution, to protect the lives and property of the citizenry in his area of jurisdiction.
“To allude and allege that a Governor is consciously undermining the oath of office he took is a skewed logic intended to upturn the rule of law and the jurisdictional dictates of equity and good conscience.
“For this reason, the onus of proof of his allegation rests on Mr Nabena. He should name the Governor he is alluding to as the sponsor of banditry and sundry crimes in the North-West and provide evidence that he (the Governor) is involved in all of that which he alleged.
“Otherwise, the security agencies in the country should invite Mr Nabena to provide evidence of his allegation, assist them in investigating the matter and make sure that justice is done.”
Tambuwal also advised that “all well-meaning Nigerians and political stakeholders should consider human lives first instead of playing to the gallery.
“The framers of the Constitution know why they bestowed much powers, although significantly flawed, in the President to checkmate issues such as those raised by Mr Nabena.”
Also reacting, the PDP through its National Publicity Secretary Kola Ologbondiyan, said it “will not waste precious time responding to innuendos from any impostor.”
