AAC Tasks FG To Rejig Nigeria’s Security Structure.

By John Nwokocha Abuja

African Action Congress has charged the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to siezea the opportunity of the United States of America rescue operations in Nigeria at weekend to rejig the country’s security apparatus.

The party said the rescue operation by Americans was an indication of

“failure of Nation’s Security System”.

While the party called on Buhari to restructure with immediate effect the security architecture, the AAC advised Federal government to seek foreign assistance in its War Against Terrorism and rescue of hostages

following successful rescue of an American citizen kidnapped last week by armed men in Niger Republic and held in their camp in Nigeria.

Its call for immediate rejigging of the nation’s security apparatus to meet with international standard according to the party is to save Nigerians’ lives.

Dr Leonard Nzenwa, national chairman of the party stated in a press release

“It is amazing that the US military carried out a daring nighttime rescue operation in Nigeria on October 31, freed its citizen abducted in Niger Republic on October 27, 2020, killed six of the kidnappers, stating that, “We will never abandon any American taken hostage”.

“In April this year, the Chadian President, Idris Debir led troops to flush out Boko Haram insurgents in his country and carried the war to Nigerian territory where he crushed the insurgents, freed Nigerian in the areas they occupied and soldiers held captive.

“The military exploits of these foreign countries in Nigeria show that with the right leadership, the nation’s military can rout out Boko Haram insurgents and bandits in the country.

“Today, Nigeria is the third country with the highest level of terrorism in the world after lran and Afghanistan as reported in the 2019 Global Terrorism rating by the lnstitute for Economics and Peace (IEP).

“It is a sad commentary in retrogressive  governance and diplomacy.

“Life has become so cheap in Nigeria that government and the people are no longer alarmed by massive killings of fellow compatriots by insurgents, bandits, armed robbers, ritualists and security agents, until the recent #EndSARS# youth protests.

“It is obvious that Nigerian lives don’t matter to the authorities who are insensitive to their plights.

“For one American citizen abducted in Niger Republic, the US military swung into action, located the kidnappers’ camp in Nigeria and rescued him in less than two minutes of extraordinary military adventure. “It is a classical example of a responsible and responsive government.

“On the contrary, in April 2014, 276 schoolgirls were abducted at Chibok, about 112 of them are still being held by Boko Haram after government negotiated the release of some of them.

“The same is applicable to Dapchi schoolgirls in Yobe State who were abducted on 19th February 2018, by Boko Haram who later released them after a negotiation with government except courageous Leah Sharibu who refused to convert to lslam and is still being held by her captors.

“Across the country, thousands of Nigerians are being held hostage in their fatherland in the worst security challenge since independence in 1960”.

AAC insists  that the security and welfare of the people should be the primary purpose of government in accordance with section 14(2)b of the 1999 constitution as amended.

“This will save the nation of increasing international embarrassment it receives over failure to safeguard lives and property in Nigeria and the violation of the nation’s territorial integrity by foreign countries”.