The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other opposition parties reacted to the rising insecurity, which has caused the death of 12,250 citizens between January 2021 and March 2022 in the country.
According to a report compiled by a research group, SBMorgen, and an advocacy network, Enough is Enough Nigeria, 6,102 civilians were killed while 1,055 security personnel were killed.
Further breakdown showed that 571 killed were soldiers, 307 police officers, and 193 vigilante members.
Personnel of other security agencies like the Department of State Services, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigeria Customs Service, and Federal Road Safety Corps was also killed.
The report showed that not less than 1,500 citizens were killed in each quarter since January 2021, with the second quarter of last year recording the highest number of deaths at 3,133.
Reacting, the spokesperson of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, Agbo Major, said, “This government has failed in its responsibility to provide security for the citizens. In one year, 12,250 citizens have been killed. Those were innocent Nigerians who paid their taxes and were entitled to maximum security. See the way Nigerians are being brought down ceaselessly without the government doing anything about it. It’s the failure of the government.
“Remember that this government came into power with the promise of providing security for Nigerians. I remember clearly that before 2015, there was this massive campaign that the then President Goodluck Jonathan wasn’t doing much, and the Peoples Democratic Party government had no answers to the country’s security challenges while they(APC) were going to come and ensure that Nigerians are safe. But the rate of killings we have seen under this government in the past seven years is not in the least comparable to what we saw under the PDP.”
On his part, National Publicity Secretary of the Social Democratic Party, Ambassador Rufus Aiyenigba, said, “The country is in a precarious situation. Nigerians are living in despair, total despondency, and a state of hopelessness.
“The summary is that the security situation has gotten terrible under this government that came in with the promise of ending insecurity, corruption and truly making life better for the people. But the results and statistics that we see out there point to the contrary. I believe Nigerians have made up their minds. The voices of disaffection and discontent across the land point to the fact that the people have lost hope in this administration to really address the situation and get Nigerians out of the woods.”
Criticising the directives usually issued by President Buhari after attacks on citizens, the SDP Spokesman said they had been of no effect.
“They have been of no effect since 2016 to date. Recall that the President confessed to the whole world that his directive to Benue State was not adhered to by the Nigeria Police Force under the former Inspector-General of Police. That’s an admission of failure of the administrative effort put in place by the government to curtail the horrendous crime against humanity being perpetrated. Nigeria is being turned into a killing field. It has become a mortuary. Anywhere you go, you see corpses everywhere, mass burials here and there. It’s a bad situation,” he said.
The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Debo Ologunagba, described the report as disturbing.
