Foreign Mercenaries: PDP Tackles El-Rufai, Asks Him To Shut-Up; Reminds Him Of Role

By Gideon Njoku

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has tackled Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State over his threat to bring in mercenaries to fight terrorists.

El-Rufai had in the wake of the fatal bombing of an Abuja-Kaduna bound Train on March 28,  threatened to bring in foreign mercenaries, and use them to fight terrorism in the State if the Federal Government refuses to tackle, headlong, the cankerworm. He accused the Security Agents of reluctance to tackle the terrorists, even though they know exactly where they are.

But in a statement on Sunday by the PDP, signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the Party asked El-Rufai to shut up. They reminded him of the roles he and a couple of others in the All Progressives Congress, APC, including President Muhammadu Buhari and almost all Northern Governors, played in fueling terrorism in Nigeria. The PDP accused them of fueling and “aiding insecurity which degenerated to acts of terrorism ravaging our nation today.”

Said the PDP: “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 (terrorists) are collections of independent criminals for whom banditry is a business.”

Chiding him for threatening to use foreign mercenaries, the PDP said: “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.’

The PDP, also recalled how President Buhari rationalized the beheading of 43 rice farmers in Borno State by terrorists.

PDP: “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.”

Following is the full text of the PDP statement.

Foreign Mercenaries: APC Leaders Fueled Terrorism, PDP Tells el-Rufai

“The expression of frustration and threats by Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State to invite foreign mercenaries to fight terrorists in Nigeria is a further confirmation and admission of the failure of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration in which he is a key player.

“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) however insists that Governor el-Rufai cannot distance himself from those responsible for fueling and aiding insecurity which degenerated to acts of terrorism ravaging our nation today.

“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.

“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 (terrorists) 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’.

“The media was also awash with reports of how Governors of APC-controlled States, especially in the North West region of the country publicly romanced and empowered terrorists by paying them billions of naira of public funds in various hurried, uncoordinated and hazy negotiations.

“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.

“Such comments and actions by Governor el-Rufai, the Buhari Presidency 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.

“Our Party challenges Governor el-Rufai and other APC leaders to speak out on the confession by a former APC leader that the terrorists pillaging our nation were brought in by APC leaders to rig the 2019 general elections but had remained in the country following the failure by the APC to pay them for the heinous ‘services’ they were contracted to provide against the Nigerian people.

“Governor el-Rufai should know that he and other APC leaders cannot under any circumstance distance themselves from blame in the worsening insecurity, pain, horror, social dislocation of families and life-discounting experiences being encountered daily by Nigerians under the APC.

“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 PDP believes in the competence and capability of our gallant Armed Forces to defend our nation. They are only being encumbered by manifest complicity, conspiracy, incompetence and failure of the Security Command and Control Coordination structure of the APC administration.”