The Director of Advocacy and Publicity, Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, says the current administration resorts to diversions and excuses whenever it is confronted with any serious challenge.
He said that this showed that the administration has run out of ideas.
Baba-Ahmed spoke on Friday during a Channels Television programme, “Sunrise Daily”.
The NEF spokesman was interviewed on the programme alongside Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu.
The presidential spokesman had accused the opposition of exploiting the security challenges confronting Nigeria under the APC.
He further lambasted those agitating for the break-up of Nigeria, warning such elements to be careful.
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Responding, Baba-Ahmed expressed disappointment at the presidential aide’s comment.
He said that Nigerians only wanted an end to kidnappings, banditry and other criminal acts.
“Hearing him (Garba Shehu) speak in this manner, I’m more depressed than I was when I came into this studio. This how the spokesperson of the president will respond, just telling people arrests are being made? We don’t see anybody being arrested. If they are arrested, why are they not being prosecuted? Yes, he’s right, banditry and kidnapping has become an industry.
“This thing has grown into a big industry right under the nose of the president. There’s no way you can deflect attention from this. How do you explain the grown sophistication of the criminals in this country?
“You can only do that by acknowledging the failure of the government to secure its citizens. Listening to Garba, to be honest, I just think that the presidency has run out of ideas.
“When they’re confronted with a very serious challenge, they go around looking for all sorts of diversions and excuses. Nigerians don’t want to hear any of this. We want a stop to the kidnappings.”