The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, have condemned Friday’s attack on the convoy of Babagana Zulum, Governor of Borno State by insurgents.
About 20 people including security operatives were reported to have been killed and injured on Friday when Boko Haram insurgents ambushed the governor’s security convoy on its way to Baga town where Governor Zulum was billed to flag off a resettlement scheme designed to resettle locals in their respective communities in the troubled parts of the State.
Friday’s attack was the second in three months that the governor’s convoy would be attacked by the insurgents.
In July, the governor had also faced a similar attack in Baga in which he blamed compromise and foul play among security operatives detailed in the North East.
While reacting to the recent attack, the PDP in a statement noted that the repeated attack on the governor as well as the rising wave of terrorist attacks in the region reinforce apprehensions of security compromises and lapses in the Nigerian security architecture.
Kola Ologbondiyan, PDP National Publicity Secretary, who issued the statement on behalf of the party on Sunday renewed the party’s call “to immediately rejig the nation’s security apparatus.”
“Our party is alarmed by the frightening situation where insurgents now have the temerity of repeated attacks on the armed convoy of a state governor, which highlights the nightmare being witnessed by ordinary compatriots, as soft targets, in various troubled areas across our dear nation,” Ologbondiyan said.
He said the opposition party restated its call to President Muhammadu Buhari to heed the call by well-meaning Nigerians, including the two chambers of the National Assembly, to immediately rejig the nation’s security apparatus by replacing his Service Chiefs with fresh hands to effectively confront the security challenges facing our nation.
While saluting the gallantry of the Nigerian troops combating terrorists in the North East, the party sympathized with the governor as well as the families of the victims of incessant attacks in the region.
It urged the governor not to be deterred.
On his part, Mohammed Adamu, the Inspector General of Police has “directed Olubunmi Ogunsanwo, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Police Medical Services, to work in sync with Bello Makwashi ,the Commissioner of Police, Borno State Command and the Police Health Maintenance Organisation (HMO) towards ensuring adequate provision of medicare for the officers injured during the attack.”
Adamu reassured the country, particularly the people of Borno State that the morale of police officers and other security agencies involved in providing security especially in the state has not and will not be dampened by the incident.
He added that the incident has further served as impetus in strengthening the resolve and commitment of the personnel of the Force in the fight against insurgency and other crimes.
The IGP called for the continuous support and trust of the public for the Nigeria Police Force as it strives to make the country safer and more secure.
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