A rights group, Northern Advocacy for Peace (NAP) has asked the serving service chiefs of the Nigerian armed forces to resign or face imminent sack over incessant attacks on the country’s infrastructure by bandits and other criminal elements operating in parts of the North.
The rights group called for immediate restructuring of the nation’s security architecture to prevent her from being overtaken by terrorists, bandits and other criminal elements.
Reacting to the recent attack on an Abuja-Kaduna bound train by bandits in Kaduna where over a dozen were killed, several others reportedly kidnapped, NAP urged the Service Chiefs to resign or be sacked over what the group described as gross “incompetence”.
It would be recalled that an Abuja-Kaduna bound train was attacked by bandits between Katari and Rijana village in Kaduna State with about 970 passengers on board. The bandits had planted explosives on the rail track which exploded and forced the train to a halt while the bandits shot at the passengers injuring many and kidnapping several others to destinations yet unknown.
Ambassador Khalifa Shuaibu, Convener of NAP, in a statement , maintained that the several attacks across the country, especially in the North East and North West, it was clear that those in charge of the security agencies were incompetent and should leave or be made to leave.
“NAP commiserates with families who lost loved ones in the attack. We wonder what has gone wrong with the intelligence in the country that bandits operated freely for over three hours, shooting and subjecting the passengers to horrible torture and kidnapping others without any resistance from the Nigerian security forces.
“Two days ago, bandits attacked the Kaduna International Airport and killed a security guard of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA). They prevented a Lagos bound plane from embarking on the journey. Kaduna particularly has all security formations located in the state”
“This calls for worry. Nigerians are continually been vulnerable to terrorist attacks in their homes. With these attacks, Nigerians cannot even travel either by road, rail or air at the moment. Severally, terrorists have killed kidnapped or burnt travellers in their cars. Terrorists are shutting down this country.
“It is disheartening that these enemies of the people are getting emboldened by the day. The bandits are becoming more daring and brazen. These blood cuddling enemies of the country have no regard for human life. They have no place in a civilized society and must be defeated.
“The security situation is moving from bad to worse. The military cannot protect lives and property or the sovereignty of this country looking at the manner bandits are operating in the country.
“This attack and several others reported and not reported leave us with no option but to call for the immediate resignation of the Chief of Defense Staff, the Chief of Army Staff as well as the Chief of Defence Intelligence.
The group also called for complete disbandment and thorough investigation of the heads of Defence Intelligence and other related intelligence gathering security formations for lack of diligence in their duties.
“We are aware that, President Buhari has bought enough modern and sophisticated weapons and other military hardware which if properly deployed will boost the fight against terrorism.
“The military has not justified the billions of Naira put into the security sector through the welfare of personnel and military hardware. Let the current security chiefs resign or be sacked for the safety of Nigerians. This is the immediate response to the failure of the military in tackling the security challenges in the country”, the group added.
