The spokesman of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Hakeem Baba-Ahmed has carpeted the President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government, saying it has run out of ideas.
Baba-Ahmed said banditry and kidnappings have grown so big to become an industry right under the nose of the president and the current government has failed to prove its capability in dealing with the monster.
The NEF spokesman made his submission on Friday during an interview appearance on Channels TV where presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu was also interviewed.
Responding after Shehu’s comment on insecurity in Nigeria, Baba-Ahmed said the submission of the presidential media aide has left him more depressed.
He lashed the government, urging it to stop looking for excuses and deal with the challenges facing the nation.
“Hearing him speak in this manner, I’m more depressed than I was when I came into this studio. This how the spokesperson of the president will respond, just telling people arrests are being made? We don’t see anybody being arrested. If they are arrested, why are they not being prosecuted? Yes, he’s right, banditry and kidnapping has become an industry,” he said.
“This thing has grown into a big industry right under the nose of the president. There’s no way you can deflect attention from this. How do you explain the grown sophistication of the criminals in this country?
“You can only do that by acknowledging the failure of the government to secure its citizens. Listening to Garba, to be honest, I just think that the presidency has run out of ideas.
“When they’re confronted with a very serious challenge, they go around looking for all sorts of diversions and excuses. Nigerians don’t want to hear any of this. We want a stop to the kidnappings.”
Meanwhile, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday, March 26 hosted former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd) at the State House, Abuja.
Personal Assistant to the president on New Media, Bashir Ahmad confirmed this in a post on his verified Twitter account, Naija News reports.
Though the presidential aide did not disclose the agenda of their meeting closed-door meeting, there were, however, suggestions that the meeting could be about insecurity in the Northern part of the country.
“President Muhammadu Buhari receives in audience former Head of State Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar (rtd) at the State House, Abuja,” Ahmad announced.