The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has said President Bola Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress (APC) should prioritise fixing Nigeria’s worsening security challenges instead of spending millions of taxpayers’ money on international image laundering to change narratives abroad.
PDP, in a statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary, Ini Emembong, said the alleged kidnapping of 163 worshippers during Sunday service in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State is a sad reminder of the normalisation of insecurity, which the party stated has become the new reality Nigerians are made to live with under the APC-led administration.
The police have, however, denied that there was such an abduction.
But PDP said the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Kajuru Local Government Area, as quoted in several credible media sources, admitted that the attack “was carried out by bandits who arrived in large numbers, while the worshippers were in the middle of the service.
“(One hundred and seventy-two) 172 people were initially abducted, but nine of them escaped immediately after the attack.”
The party stated that these frequent attacks on worshippers in their places of worship, irrespective of religion, represent the inability of the APC government to protect the constitutionally enshrined right to freedom of worship.
“Nigerians must not live in fear when going to churches or mosques to worship. The entrenchment of such brazen criminality under this administration is totally unacceptable,” PDP said.
It called on the APC-led Federal Government to immediately commence comprehensive rescue operations to bring these kidnapped citizens home safely.
“We urge them not to dramatise this sad situation the way they did with the Niger school kidnapping, where media optics prevailed over identity protection and safeguarding during the ‘rescue and return’ processes of the victims,” the party added.
PDP stated that insecurity cannot be solved by propaganda, as families suffering these tragedies would communicate their pain regardless of how much money is spent on image management.
The party reiterated its support for state police, pointing out that if state policing had been operational, these criminals might not have successfully operated with such impunity and taken this large number of people captive.
“The Federal Government must urgently double its efforts at combating banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes.
“The protection of citizens is the government’s primary constitutional responsibility.
“Every Nigerian deserves to worship in safety. The Tinubu administration must demonstrate that Nigerian lives matter through immediate action, not empty promises.
“The families of the 163 kidnap victims anxiously await their return,” PDP stated.
