PDP indicts Buhari over kidnapping as business comment

Tunde Opalana, Abuja 

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has indicted President Muhammadu Buhari over his comment to the Inspector General of Police, Adamu Mohammed that kidnapping is business.

The party said Buhari’s confession that “anger, frustration and disenchantment among the youth are responsible for the escalation of kidnapping, abduction and other crimes in the country” is a direct admission of his failure in governance.

PDP also stated that this explanation confirms that President Buhari is aware that Nigerian youth did not vote for him in the February 23 presidential election.

Spokesperson of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan in a statement said “this self-confession by Mr. President is equally an admission that he has no solutions, and points to the ugly situation that would continue to confront the nation, if the stolen Presidential mandate is not retrieved in the courts.

“Is it not appalling that at a time when other world leaders are leading their youth to constructive and productive ventures and developing their nations, Nigerian youth are being pushed into situations of anger, frustration and recourse to criminality?

“Under President Buhari, our national economy has continued to slide; over 30 million Nigerians have lost their jobs and basic means of livelihood; businesses have continued to shut down; cost of essential goods and services have persistently soared, while purchasing power of citizens worsen.

“It is more disheartening that instead of finding solutions, Mr. President resorted to rhetoric and begging the question to the extent of describing criminality as a new occupation and a business.” 

He said Nigerians were shocked at Buhari’s insensitivity to the victims of the bloodlettings, kidnappings, banditry and other acts of violence in the country when he trivialized and made a joke of the insecurity in the land by stating that losing weight is a sign that the Inspector General of Police, Adamu Mohammed was effectively tackling the security issues.

“It is most heartbreaking that at the time Buhari was making a joke on the security situation, bandits were having a field day in communities in Zamfara state where they reportedly killed over 50 Nigerians, while many more compatriots are still held hostage by kidnappers in forests in various parts of our country.

“Such attitude to governance, especially on issues that have to do with the lives of Nigerians, is completely unacceptable and must be condemned by all,” the party said.