NGOs accuse some northern governors of turning kidnapping into business
- More condemnations continue to trail decisions by authorities in northern Nigerian to negotiate with bandits
- A group of civil society organisations in the north has rejected the move saying it is a form of corruption
- The groups further accused some northern governors of using the abductions as a source of siphoning public funds
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A coalition of 15 northern-based civil society organisations on Wednesday, March 3 accused some northern governors of turning the rising cases of kidnapping and banditry in the region into money-spinning ventures.
The groups under the umbrella of Non-State Actors Consultative Forum (NOSACOF) made the accusation at a press briefing in Kano state.
Source: UGC
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Speaking at the briefing, the co-convener of the coalition, Mr. Ibrahim Waiya, alleged that political actors in north Nigeria have devised a new strategy to swindling public resources through negotiation with bandits.
ThisDay quoted him as saying:
“We believed that negotiation with bandits is not the best option because it is another form of corruption.
“Because of the corruption involved, the governors, who are also benefiting from the loot, will never want the government to deploy a full military application to end the banditry.”
In a related development, former Anambra state governor Peter Obi has frowned at reports of the government paying bandits ransom to free those abducted by the criminal gangs.
Obi a former vice presidential candidate, said such actions by the government are inimical to the economic growth of Nigeria.
Similarly, former minister of youth and sports, Barrister Solomon Dalung has said that the All Progressive Congress (APC)-led federal government has failed on its promises to address the remnant insecurity challenges in the country, particularly in northern Nigeria.
Dalung who served as a minister during the first tenure of President Muhammadu Buhari said one of the major promises of the party was to address the problem of insecurity which he said the APC has failed to deliver.
Jerrywright Ukwu is an Abuja-based senior political/defence correspondent at Legit.ng. He is a graduate of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos and the International Institute of Journalism in Abuja. He is also a member of the Nigeria Union of Journalists. He spends his leisure-time reading history books. He can be reached via email at jerrywright39@yahoo.com.
Source: Legit.ng
