Terrorism: Invite Akpabio for interrogation, PDP urges DSS

The People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Friday charged the Department of State Services, DSS, and other security agencies to immediately invite the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, to name politicians in the All Progressives Congress, APC, that are behind the acts of terrorism and banditry ravaging the country.

The major opposition party in a statement issued by its spokesman, Kolas Ologbondiyan stressed that “there is self-professed evidence that Senator Akpabio is privy to certain terrorism-related information which he must be made to share with the DSS as well as other security agencies.”

The statement read: “Our party’s position is predicated on comments made by Senator Akpabio at the APC national secretariat in Abuja on Thursday that the acts of terrorism in our country are ‘politically motivated and that they are handiwork of infiltrators from neighbouring countries.

“It is instructive to state that Senator Akpabio’s revelation provides more insight into the alleged affiliation of APC leaders with terrorist elements, who had reportedly infiltrated our nation after being imported from neighbouring countries by the APC, as political mercenaries, to assist it in unleashing violence to rig the 2019 general elections.

“The PDP invites Nigerians to note that the APC and its leaders have failed to account for these mercenaries and have remained silent.

“Our party can also recall how the APC government, instead of going after the assailants, rather blamed the 43 rice farmers, who were last year beheaded by terrorists in Borno State, accusing them of not getting permission before going about their legitimate business in their own country.

“Nigerians can also recall how some governors elected on the platform of the APC were seen having photos with gun-wielding bandits in addition to their vehement opposition to PDP’s call on the Federal Government to impose a national emergency on security.

“The stance of the APC and its administration has continued to embolden terrorists to escalate their activities to the extent that our nation now ranks third in the world terrorism index.

“Now that Senator Akpabio has shown that he has certain information regarding the spur for escalated acts of terrorism in our country, our party urges the DSS and other security agencies to immediately invite him for questioning so as to expose the politicians that are behind the ugly situation in our country.”

Vanguard News Nigeria