…Pass vote of no confidence on political leaders
…Gives govt. 2 weeks ultimatum
By Tina George, Minna
Aggrieved youths from the Shiroro local government area of Niger state, have alleged that the continuous bandit attacks on the communities of the local government council, is a ploy to eliminate the Gbagyi nation in the state.
The youths under the auspices of Concerned Shiroro Youths, during a press conference in Minna, also alleged that governor Abubakar Sani-Bello and other political leaders had failed to visit the Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, affected by the bandit attacks.
According to the youths, the carefree attitude of government and political leaders over the plight of the people of the communities in the local government area, as a result of insecurity, for the past five years, was not only worrisome but alarming.
In the statement, Bello Ibrahim, leader of the youths insisted that the incessant attacks, which have not attracted the full attention of government, in spite of lives and properties being lost, is an indication that the government has an agenda to eliminate the ethnic group.
“The Federal and state governments are doing absolutely nothing as far as we are concerned. Recently, President Muhammadu Buhari, through his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity Garba Shehu, condemned bandit attacks in Katsina. We challenge Buhari to show that he has shown enough concern on similar attacks in Shiroro local government of Niger state.
“The President is clannish and his leadership tendencies seemed to be skewed to a particular region of the country. We are beginning to nurse the fear that there is a political agenda to eliminate or exterminate the Gbagyi people in the state.
“The most recent attacks on several communities in he local government, have further exposed government’s ineffectual tendencies and confirmed our fears of lack of political will to effectively combat this hydra-headed monster bedeviling our peace-loving, sincere, productive and patriotic people,” he stated.
Ibrahim threatened that the youths of the Shiroro local government area were giving the state government two weeks ultimatum to address the incessant security challenges or face civil disobedience in the council.
“In the next two weeks, if nothing tangible is urgently and holistically done to address these insecurity challenges, we shall be left with no option than mobilize our people to henceforth abdicate from any civil responsibilities.
“It will be immaterial, inconsequential and of no effect whatsoever to continue to pay civil allegiance to a government that cannot ordinarily guarantee our safety and security,” he further stressed.
The youths also passed a vote of no confidence on the National Assembly, NASS, as well as State House of Assembly members, describing their leadership as ineffective, stale and non-existent.
“Senator Musa Sani’s (313), leadership is ineffectual, ineffective and grossly undeserving. His leadership is stale, non-existent, absent and he has no feelings about our plight.
“The last time the Senator came, he promised heaven and earth but we have not seen anything. Unfortunately, in most of these attacks, we do not see people who are coming to talk. Despite the series of armed bandit attacks, we have suffered and our representatives have failed to rise up to the challenge confronting us”.
