APC says N’West governor behind attacks by bandits

• Enugu APC expels five members

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said a governor in the North-West is behind the heightened cases of banditry, abductions and other violent crimes in that zone.

The ruling party has therefore urged security agencies to investigate an intelligence report that reportedly indicted the governor.

APC acting Deputy National Publicity Secretary Yekini Nabena made the allegation in a statement.

But the party did not name the governor and the state.

There are seven states in the Northwest and five of them are under the APC control. They are: Kaduna (Nasir El-Rufai); Kano (Abdullahi Ganduje); Katsina (Aminu Masari); Jigawa (Badaru Abubakar) and Kebbi (Atiku Bagudu).

The two PDP governors are Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto) and Bello Matawalle (Zamfara).

The APC also warned the opposition PDP to desist from politicising the abduction of schoolboys from Government Science Secondary School (GSSS) in Kankara, Kastina State by bandits.

According to the party, the increased spate of banditry in the Northwest was politically-motivated and not unconnected to the unnamed governor’s alleged sponsorship of banditry and other violent crimes in the zone.

The party’s spokesman said in a statement, “Our security agencies have intelligence reports linking one of the Northwest governors to collusion and sponsorship of violent and criminal activities of bandits. I won’t give details because of the sensitive and security nature of the issue.

“However, relevant security agencies must as a matter of urgency, investigate the report and determine its veracity. Human life is not what we should play political chess games with.

“We must shun enemies of the country including the PDP who seek political gains from issues of insecurity.

“Our security agencies must also be alert to plots to further destabilise the Northwest region and frustrate the quick and safe release of students abducted from the GSSS,” Nabena said.

Kidnapping for ransom and banditry have become a pain in neck of leaders in the Northwest.

Sultan of Sokoto Sa’ad Abubakar (III) decried the spate and concluded that nowhere was safe in the country.

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen. Tukur Buratai also said that fleeing Boko Haram insurgents from the Northeast have become bandits in the Northwest.

Enugu APC expels five members

Meanwhile, the APC in Enugu State has expelled four of its members for what it calls anti-party activities.

Its Chairman, Ben Nwoye, announced their expulsion on Friday at the swearing in of the caretaker committee.

Nwoye, who was returned as the caretaker chairman, said their expulsion followed their failure to withdraw their lawsuit against the party as directed by the National Executive Committee (NEC).

He said, “Acting on the directive of the party’s national legal adviser, we set up a disciplinary committee to investigate members found wanting.

“Deacon Okey Ogbodo and his cohorts – Chike Omeje, Rufus Nwagu, Rev. Onuorah Ani and Chinedu Okosisi – in disregard to NEC resolutions failed to withdraw their cases at the appellate court.”