Stop negotiating with bandits, IPAC tells governments

The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), the umbrella body of all political parties in Nigeria, has asked the Federal and state governments to immediately stop negotiating with bandits to prevent further breakdown of security in the country.

The IPAC’s National Chairman, Dr. Leonard Nzenwa, made the call on Friday in Abuja at a press conference by the council.

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He also urged President Muhammadu Buhari to, as a matter of urgency, declare a state of emergency on national security, saying this was due to the ceaseless kidnapping, insurgency and banditry which is currently ravaging parts of the country.

He said that the insecurity bedevilling the country has a motive to destroy the nation’s educational system and its social stability.

“The most pathetic, soul-wrenching is that these merchants of death in an annihilatistic bravado have intensified effort to destroy our educational system by kidnapping and holding hostage our young daughters and boys who are innocent and have not wronged them in any way.

“To descend this low to blackmail the people and the nation must not be allowed to continue.

“The Nigerian people and Government of Federal Republic of Nigeria must rise up to stop this brigandage by forces resolved to destroy the country,” Nzenwa said.

He said that while the council do not pride itself as being a security expert body, it has had bitter experiences in brothers being killed, sisters being raped, mothers being made widows and fathers laid to the graveyards.

“There is no greater security expertise than this. This informs why we are intervening.

“The IPAC is worried with frightening dimension of insecurity in our great nation and calls on President Muhammadu Buhari to declare a state of emergency on national security.

“A deplorable situation where everything seems to have gone to the dogs is deeply troubling and unacceptable.

“Nigerians are waylaid daily on the high ways. Many are plucked out from their homes like chickens, farms are deserted, herders are on the prowl, and there exist ethnic clashes of unimaginable proportion.

“Everything is being impacted negatively, and the politicians’ constituency is badly hit too.

“We call on the government not to condone, discuss or negotiate with bandits, terrorists and other criminal elements; undertake complete overhaul of the nation’s security architecture; increase budgetary allocation to the security sector, fund and recruit more youths and review and enhance compensation and welfare package of the Armed Forces personnel, among others,” he said.