ADC to APC: Take responsibility, stop blaming Trump for insecurity

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised the comments by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, for blaming recent terrorist attacks in Kebbi and Kwara States on the remarks made by the U.S. President Donald Trump. Akume, at a press briefing on Wednesday, said recent statements by the United States officials […]

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised the comments by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, for blaming recent terrorist attacks in Kebbi and Kwara States on the remarks made by the U.S. President Donald Trump.

Akume, at a press briefing on Wednesday, said recent statements by the United States officials on Nigeria’s security situation have inadvertently emboldened terrorists and criminal gangs to launch attacks on soft targets.

ADC, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, described the claim as “amateurish deflection and shameless attempt to abdicate responsibility by the APC-led federal government.”

ADC said they were surprised by the comments attributed to Akume, adding, “We find it quite appalling that the APC-led federal government now claims its security failures are caused by a tweet by the president of another country.”

ADC said for years under the APC administration, “Nigerians have suffered horrific massacres, mass abductions and assaults on schools and worship centres. This situation has worsened with each passing year, particularly under the current administration, as the bandits and terrorists get more emboldened by the government’s failure to respond appropriately.”

The party said it is therefore disingenuous to blame one tweet for the state of insecurity in Nigeria.

“Those killing Nigerians did not need to be instigated by Trump, they were already actively encouraged by a government that consistently fails to act decisively to stop the carnage, a government that is, even after nearly three years in office, still celebrating its electoral victory while the country is turned into a killing field.

“How can a government that takes pride in its sovereignty and has any modicum of self-respect blame one statement by a foreign leader for the collapse of its security system?  Are we so vulnerable that a social media post from Washington can that easily turn our country upside down?

“If indeed Mr Trump’s statement constitutes such a security threat, what has been the government’s evaluation of that threat and what measures have the government put in place to mitigate the potential threat that could emanate from it? This is what any serious government would do. It would not just wait for these opportunistic attacks to start shopping for who to blame for its incompetence,” the statement added.