Boko Haram: PDP urges Buhari to visit Borno over killing of farmers

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned the killing of 43 farmers by insurgents in Zabarmari, Borno State.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how at least 43 rice farmers were killed by suspected members of the Boko Haram while harvesting their crops on Saturday.

Sources in Zabarmari, a community known for rice farming, informed this newspaper that the farmers were attacked as they were working on a rice field at Garin Kwashebe.

The farmers were attacked on Saturday as residents of the state were voting to elect local government council officials, for the first time in 13 years.

In reaction, President Muhammadu Buhari, on Sunday, expressed grief over the killings, noting that his administration had provided the needed support to the armed forces “to take all necessary steps to protect the country’s population and its territory.”

Many Nigerians have also taken to social media to condemn the gruesome attack on the villagers, hence, calling for the sack of all service chiefs for failing to protect lives and properties in the country.

On its part, the PDP in a statement by its spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, described the act as “extremely wicked, devilish and must not be left unaddressed.”

READ ALSO: Over 40 farmers ‘killed in Borno’ — Officials(Opens in a new browser tab)

The opposition party also called on the Buhari administration to take a decisive action in solving the scourge of insecurity confronting the country.

The party also called on the president to lead by moving to Zabarmari in Borno State, to empathise with the families of the victims.

“The PDP notes with pain that this horrific killing of compatriots comes as yet another of the recurring horrid testament and badge of failure of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC administration to secure our nation and guarantee the safety of lives and property in our country.

“Indeed, our party is distressed by the escalated killing and maiming of innocent Nigerians by insurgents, bandits and marauders, who have continued to ravage and pillage our communities, while the lazy and lethargic Buhari administration continues with its lip service, rhetoric and false performance claims.

“The PDP is particularly disturbed because of the failure of the Buhari Presidency to take decisive action despite a series of concerns raised by Borno state governor, Baba Gana Zulum, of security compromises in the state.

“The Buhari administration appears helpless while our national security structure under President Buhari seems to have collapsed. Our nation appears to be on autopilot with no one in charge while the ship of state continues to drift.

“All our nation gets from the Buhari Presidency is that ‘Mr. President is shocked’, ‘Mr. President is saddened’, ‘Mr. President regrets’ and such lame responses without any decisive policy direction or directive to definitively tackle the situation at hand, leading to escalation of killings in our country.

“Such attitude by the Buhari administration has continued to embolden insurgents to the extent that they now attack military formations, convoys of state governors and engage in the wanton beheading of our compatriots.

“It is distressing that despite this sorry situation, Mr President, who promised to lead from the front, has receded into the safety of Aso Presidential villa and refused to act on the consistent demands of Nigerians to rejig the national security architecture and replace the service chiefs with more capable hands to affectively tackle our security challenges.

“The PDP charges President Buhari to stop his unhelpful rhetoric. He should sit up and take actions that will safeguard the lives of Nigerians who have been subjected to all manners of mental and physical torture under this incompetent administration.

“Mr President should immediately move to Zabarmari in Borno State, empathize with the families of the victims and lead from the front in restoring security in the area.

“Our party commiserates with the government and people of Borno state and urge Nigerians to remain at alert particularly in providing useful information for our security agencies in this fight against insurgency in our land.”