- Safiu Kehinde
Kogi lawmaker, Sen. Sunday Karimi, has labelled the spate of banditry and insecurity across Nigeria as plot to sabotage President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.
Karimi made the claim while speaking on a motion sponsored by Senator Lola Ashiru on the urgent need to address insecurity in the Kwara South Senatorial District.
Ashiru had at the plenary session on Wednesday called the lawmakers attention to the spate of attack and killings of civilians and vigilante group members in his constituency.
While supporting the motion, Karimi called for urgent need to address the insecurity which he alleged to be politically motivated.
He described it as the deployment of similar plot used former President Goodluck Jonathan by inciting violence and unrest.
“Mr. President we got to do something about it. Yes the Federal Government is trying. Their plan to set up Forest Guards is a noble move.
“But we need to do something urgently. Some people are benefiting from this criminality.
“They may also be planning because they know that they are losing the election already.
“You know during 2015 election, some people planned and already brought criminal elements to Nigeria in anticipation that they are going to lose election and that Jonathan will not leave government.
“But we thank God he left voluntarily. Those same people are aware that Nigerians are now realising the good works that President Tinubu is doing. And their plan to stop him will not succeed.
“I guess they are resorting into violence and causing mayhem and we got to move fast and stop them.
“They are definitely going to lose this election and we will not allow them to bring this country down because of their selfish ambition.” He said.
The Kogi lawmaker also recounted the situation at his constituency where bandits were alleged to have attacked every local government areas in the constituency and took over people’s houses despite the presence of military barrack in the area.
He disclosed how one of the bandits leaders had dared the military to attempt and attack them.
“The ashes bothering Kwara South Senatorial District, Kogi West, and Niger State has become ashes of evil for these criminal elements.
“In the last six months, our people have been under attacks everyday- kidnapping, killing, and looting.
“In fact, every parts of my Senatorial District, all local governments in my Senatorial District have been attacked by these people. They even took over some communities.
“One of the Commissioners that travelled with my governor to the affected area called me yesterday and said “do you know that they have taken over some of these communities?”
“They did not only take over, our people fled from those communities and they broke down their homes and took over. That’s the situation we find ourselves.
“Mr. President, one of those guys that was kidnapped and was with the bandits for months, when he was released, he made a statement that one of the leaders of the bandits said “Your Senator built barrack for soldiers to attack us.”
“Yes I built barracks which I financed privately. It costs me a lot of money just to ensure security of that environment.
“He said, “Go and tell him with his barrack and soldiers, we are waiting for them. We have Generals in the field here.” He added.
The motion had also attracted contributions from other lawmakers who expressed concern over the spate of attacks while demanding the establishment of a permanent military base in the Kwara South Senatorial District.