The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has countered the move by the governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, to import foreign mercenaries, saying the move was counter-productive and capable of compounding the already dire security situation in the country.

The PDP said the move has the propensity to embolden terrorists to unleash violence on innocent citizens.

The main opposition party made this known via a statement issued and made available to The Star by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, on Sunday.

.The PDP said that Governor El-Rufai cannot distance himself from those responsible for fueling and aiding insecurity which degenerated to acts of terrorism ravaging the country.

The party noted that the alarming insecurity situation in the country 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.”

Ologunagba added: “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.

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“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.”

The statement continued: “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,” Ologunagba stated.

The Star