The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has questioned the arrest of organizers of a peaceful protest against unchecked mass killings by bandits and insurgents in Katsina State, and other parts of the country, particularly in the north
The party described as absurd, the arrest of the protesters by the APC government.
It frowned that the APC-led government would arrest, harass and detain victims of the bandits but chose to negotiate, hobnob with and even pay money to the assailants.
The party stated this in a statement by its publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, on Thursday.
“This arrest further raises demands for the APC and its governors particularly, those who openly confessed to have had contacts, negotiations and financial dealing with the bandits, to come clean on their alleged links with insurgents and marauders.
“Such actions by the APC administration, in addition to utterances of its leaders, have continued to dishearten Nigerians while emboldening bandits and insurgents to continue to pillage our communities, hold towns to ransom and visit all manner of violence on vulnerable Nigerians in various parts of the country.
its utterances by certain APC leaders, including asking victims of attacks not to revenge even in the face of poor security presence in affected communities as well as an admission by the government that the marauders were mercenaries from the Sahel region and armed deserters from late Muammar Gadaffi’s Libya.
“The PDP reminds Nigerians that the APC and its leaders are yet to explain the whereabouts of the thugs they imported as political mercenaries from neighbouring countries, particularly Chad and the Niger Republic to support the party’s bid during the build-up to the 2019 general elections.
“Furthermore, the APC and its leaders are yet to answer how marauders who were already pushed to the fringes by the PDP administration, resurged under their watch,” the statement read in part.