Senate President Godswill Akpabio has claimed that the recent rise in kidnapping cases across Nigeria is largely sponsored by political opponents seeking to portray the country as insecure under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
Akpabio made the remarks on Tuesday during the commissioning of the two main carriageways of the Outer Southern Expressway (OSEX), from Ring Road I Junction to Ring Road II Junction in Abuja.
“Honourable Minister, you claim that people say nothing is happening in Nigeria under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” Akpabio said. “If they did not say that, how will they go for the election? They have to say that,” Akpabio said.
He continued, “When they realise they cannot talk about projects, performance, good laws, transformation, or the subsidy removal that has been promised Nigerians for decades… and when they realise that they can no longer talk about most of the abandoned high-rise buildings in Abuja — such as the NRS building that was recently commissioned — they have now resorted to paying small, young people, recruiting them to cause mayhem across the country.”
The Senate President alleged that opposition figures, having been “outraced” by the current administration’s performance, are now funding acts of violence and kidnapping for ransom to distract the public and create a false impression of widespread insecurity.
“I want you all who are here to be very vigilant. Be careful about people who are trying to kidnap for ransom.
“They are kidnapping in order to cause distraction. They are kidnapping in order to give the impression that Nigeria is not safe,” he warned.
Akpabio, however, commended Nigeria’s security personnel, saying they are working round the clock to keep the country safe.
He expressed confidence that the current challenges would pass, adding, “The devil you see today, you shall see them no more.
“Elections will come and go. Elections will never be our end. We will see the end of elections; elections will never see our end,” he added.