Gumi more confident, moblising opposition against declaring bandits, terrorist – PGF-DG

Tom Okpe, Abuja

Director General, Progressives Governors’ Forum, (PGF) of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) Salihu Moh’ Lukman has noted that apologists and self-appointed counsels to the Bandits, such as Sheikh Ahmed Gumi are becoming more confident, and are irresponsibly mobilising opposition against declaring bandits’ terrorists.

He said studies about insecurity and banditry in Nigeria only confirmed that the bandits operating in the North-West and North-Central have all the characteristics of terrorist groups.

Lukman stated in a statement on Thursday, titled: ‘Nigeria’s Insecurity and Communication Problems’ that; “bandits are armed groups with ‘contacts across the Sahel, particularly Libya and Mali,’ having ‘huge capital,’ in possession of more than 500 AK 47 guns’, and ‘own sophisticated weapons like RPGS and Anti-Aircraft.’ The report indicated that ‘there are over 60,000 weapons in circulation’ in the North-West alone.”

“Any debate about the challenges of insecurity and banditry in Nigeria, which misses this reality is simply uninformed and therefore unhelpful,” he
said.

He pointed that speculation about the so-called agreement between Nigeria and US Government on the use of A-29 Super Tucano jets is insulting to both Nigeria and US governments.

“There are so much interesting coincidences from the speculation about the so-called agreement between Nigeria and US governments on how the A-29 Super Tucano jets will be used, the attack on Abuja-Kaduna train and the report in the Economist.

“It is as if somebody, somewhere want to discourage Nigerian Armed Forces from fighting bandits in the North-West therefore, want to halt any progress that is being achieved.

“Recent public debate in the country would seem to be targeted at demoralising Nigerian Armed Forces from fighting the bandits in the North-West and the attack on the Abuja-Kaduna train is being used to emphasise the sophistication of the bandits.

“If there is anything that truly confirms that bandits are terrorists, the attack on Abuja-Kaduna train is it. Afterall, are terrorists not people who threaten the lives of innocent citizens? What is more threatening than activities of these bandits in the North-West,” he queried.

Lukman emphasised that studies about insecurity and banditry in Nigeria only confirmed that the bandits operating in the North-West and North-Central have all the characteristics of terrorist groups.

“it is very easy to reduce these challenges to commentaries and opinion analysis. Those who aspire to use the security challenges facing Nigeria to gain cheap recognition or political advantages may want to create doubts about ability of Nigerian Armed Forces to fight bandits or effectiveness of the current strategy with all its successes.

“Commentaries and opinions that have the objective of gaining cheap recognition or political advantage tend to dismiss or ignore all the body of knowledge generated in the country about national security challenges, which is mostly by patriotic, non-partisan and non-state actors.

“A careful review of all the new body of knowledge will for instance recognise that resolving the problem of trust between citizens and the Nigerian Armed Forces is a critical success factor.”

While challenging the leadership of his party and the federal government, he noted that criticisms and campaigns against APC and President Muhammadu Buhari is hardly supported with alternative proposals saying;

“This is the main reason any defense of APC and President Buhari’s policy initiative is being equated to supporting ‘imposition of Fulani hegemony on Nigerians,’ even by some supporters of APC leaders.

“This is not about propaganda. It is about the future of the country and about commitment of APC leaders to facilitate initiatives that can support Nigerians to restore citizens’ humanity based on application of knowledge to shape public debates in the country.

“Unless and until, APC, both as a party and government, can roll out initiatives to direct public debates in the country, based on application of contemporary knowledge about existing problems, highly negative interpretation of government initiatives or so-called lack of it will continue to drive public conversation in the country.

“Inability to take advantages of existing body of knowledge in the country is also responsible for why some leading public officials of government could make illogical statements claiming so-called differences between bandits and terrorists.

“The reality is that information management in the country is taken for granted and capacity to create the right messages that inspire citizens to believe in APC and its government is weak,” he adeded.