Zabarmani massacre: Testament of Buhari’s failure ― PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned in the strongest terms, the gruesome beheading of 43 innocent rice farmers by insurgents in Zabarmari, Borno State.

It noted that the recurrent wanton killings of innocent Nigerians is “a testament and badge of failure” of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressive Congress (APC) administration to secure the nation and guarantee the safety of lives and property in the country.

This is contained in a statement issued in Abuja, on Sunday, by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, which also described the killings as extremely wicked, devilish and must not be left unaddressed.

The statement said: “Indeed, our party is distressed by the escalated killing and maiming of innocent Nigerians by insurgents, bandits and marauders, who have continued to ravage and pillage our communities, while the lazy and lethargic Buhari administration continues with its lip service, rhetoric and false performance claims.”

The PDP stated that it was particularly disturbed because of the failure of the Buhari Presidency to take decisive action despite series of concerns raised by Borno state governor, Babagana Zulum, of security compromises in the state.

The statement added: “The Buhari administration appears helpless while our national security structure under President Buhari seems to have collapsed. Our nation appears to be on autopilot with no one in charge while the ship of state continues to drift.

“All our nation gets from the Buhari Presidency is that ‘Mr President is shocked’, ‘Mr President is saddened’, ‘Mr President regrets’ and such lame responses without any decisive policy direction or directive to definitively tackle the situation at hand, leading to escalation of killings in our country.

“Such attitude by the Buhari administration has continued to embolden insurgents to the extent that they now attack military formations, convoys of state governors and engage in the wanton beheading of our compatriots.

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“It is distressing that despite this sorry situation, Mr President, who promised to lead from the front, has receded into the safety of Aso Presidential villa and refused to act on the consistent demands of Nigerians to rejig the national security architecture and replace the service chiefs with more capable hands to affectively tackle our security challenges.”

The PDP charged President Buhari to stop what it observed as his unhelpful rhetoric, noting: “He should sit up and take actions that will safeguard the lives of Nigerians who have been subjected to all manners of mental and physical torture under this incompetent administration.”

The main opposition party urged the president to immediately move to Zabarmari in Borno State, empathise with the families of the victims and lead from the front in restoring security in the area.

The PDP commiserated with the government and people of Borno State and urged Nigerians to remain at alert particularly in providing useful information for the security agencies in the fight against insurgency in the country.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

Zabarmani massacre: Testament of Buhari’s failure ― PDP