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…seek probe of money for arms

By Ibrahim HassanWuyo

The United Political Parties for Good Governance (UPPG), an umbrella organization of 74 registered political parties in Nigeria, has called on the Federal Government to provide the necessary weapons to the military and  operational funds for a timely execution of the war on terror.

The National Secretary of the United Political Parties for Good Governance, UPPG , Hon. Ahmed Tijjani Mustapha and who is also the Deputy National Chairman, All Grand Alliance Party (AGAP) said in an interview, that the organization was worried that few years to 2023 General Elections, the spate of insecurity across the country has continued to worsen, raising concerns and doubt in the mind of many about the future unity and survival of a corporate Nigeria.

Mustapha noted a recent statement by Senator Ali Ndume where the lawmaker said Nigerian troops lacked equipment and operational funds to tackle the multifarious security challenges, calling on government to probe money released for the purchase of arms for the military and for other war purposes, since the beginning of the crisis in the 2008.

The primary essence of government, he said, is to ensure security of life and property of citizens but in the present Nigeria where no part of the country subsists without one form of security challenge or the other, ” government should rise to the occasion and restore order particularly now that people are regrouping and perfecting strategies ahead of the 2023 coming elections.

According to him, the military should see reason and adopt attack techniques on the fight with the insurgents in the Northeast and with bandits in the Northwestern States.

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“We may not be military experts but for you to remain stationery, waiting to be attacked or kidnapped before you respond, I think that strategy should be reviewed.”

“We would advice that our troops should confront the renegades, chase them into the bushes they occupy and smoke them out ”

“Our borders should be fortified to stop infiltration and the smuggling of arms and other dangerous equipment into the Nigerian territory.’

“The government should ensure that troops are motivated and state governors be monitored on how they properly utilize the security vote.”

“It is hearth wrenching that the insurgents have penetrated the North central and going by what Governor Bello of Niger state said, Boko Haram hoisted their flag in some of his communities.”

‘This should not be handled lightly, as it’s an affront on the Nigerian state. The military and other security agencies should improve on their intelligence gathering, be much more faster in responding to emergencies and be ready to always be on security patrol on our highways rather than mounting stop and search points where no terrorists would ply since they tend to have a good knowledge of the bush paths.”

While commiserating with the families and loved ones of kidnapped students in Kaduna and other states, Hon. Mustapha called on Nigerians to tone down rhetoric’s and stop mixing security issues with politics, pointing out that all hands must be on deck in the fight against terror.

He said unless our educational institutions are secured against these bandits and their sponsors, continued attack on schools would grossly affect education with attendant negative consequences on the society.

Vanguard News Nigeria